Happy holidays, Commons community! After we closed out our major redesign project with the overhaul of Groups last spring, we turned our attention in the fall of 2024 to the registration process. Now that we’ve completed our hosting migration, we’re excited to release these changes to all of you.

Though longtime users may not have seen this area for a while, we wanted to make sure that new signups receive a compelling Commons welcome that’s visually consistent with the rest of the recently redesigned site.

All of our registration screens and emails now feature our redesigned graphic and typographic elements, tying in with the overall simplicity we’ve been working to achieve across the network. We’ve streamlined the number of steps it takes to get from the signup screen above through the email confirmation and activation process (at left below), so new users are able to start enjoying the Commons as quickly as possible.

Warm Welcome and Head Start

Once registration is complete, we’ve also created new welcome email and popup designs (at right above) that make it easier than ever to get a new Commons account off the ground.

These screens walk users through some of the most important first steps to take post-signup, such as refining your profile, connecting with or creating new Sites and Groups, and making a Commons CV.

But First, Art

This release has a little something for all Commons users, too. The background of the login page now features more select pieces from the amazing art series initially created for our CV release by Commons user extraordinaire Ryan Seslow.

Compared to the old login page above, we think the Commons has never looked more inviting. After this release, new and old users alike should feel more comfortable than ever creating their next (or their very first) Commons project.

Featured image from Alex G. on Flickr (cc)

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.