I agree with your director that it shouldn't be in the navigation or
anywhere prominent on the site but agree with you that users will feel much
better if they know what's going on.

One way to split the difference, and I think provide a good user experience
for both groups would be to add a link on the form or forms that will run
into this called "Seeing strange messages? Here's what they mean"
Which leads to your explanatory page.


On 9/18/08 5:00 PM, "CHI-WEB automatic digest system"
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Date:    Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:12:26 -0700
> From:    Louise Penberthy <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: reassuring users about security certificate problems
> 
> I'm having a discussion with the managing director of an organization
> that I'm the Web master for, about whether to put up information on
> the site about the site's security certificate having expired.
> 
> I'm dealing with the ISP, who has apologized, said they were changing
> SSL providers, they'll fix it as soon as they can, it won't happen
> again.
> 
> Meanwhile...
> 
> The managing director wants me to take down the page I put up about
> the situation.  She doesn't want to "draw attention to it" (the
> problem).
> 
> The organization is in the middle of registration for fall classes.
> 
> I am trying to explain that users who see the messages their browsers
> display, don't understand that the site is actually secure.  The
> messages alarm them.
> 
> I think we have to have some information on the site, so our users
> know that we are aware of the problem and dealing with it.  What I
> have on the page right now explains what's actually happening, that we
> are dealing with the problem, alternatives for registering, and our
> apologies.
> 
> She's concerned about the reactions of the people who come to this
> site for some other purpose than registering. She thinks they might
> get a bad impression of the organization from the page.
> 
> Does anyone have any information about the effects on user trust of
> messages about Web site problems and that they are being dealt with?
> Especially users who are not encountering the problem (because they
> are not registering).
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> -- Louise
> [log in to unmask]

heather gardner-madras
------------------------------------
gardner-madras | strategic creative
  http://www.heathergm.com
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