Introduce a feature in the account creation flow that suggests and allows users to select from auto-generated, available usernames. This aims to reduce friction during username entry, particularly on mobile, and improve account creation completion rates.

User story

As the Growth team, I want to iteratively improve the account creation form so that we can experiment with changes that help more newcomers successfully complete account creation.

Background

Account creation is the entry point to meaningful participation across Wikimedia projects. However, the current experience reflects legacy design patterns and does not align with modern user expectations.
Existing flows introduce unnecessary cognitive load, provide limited clarity about the value of creating an account, and surface friction through error-heavy interactions and complex form requirements. As a result, many potential contributors abandon the process before joining.

Improving this experience is a high-leverage opportunity to support newcomer activation and long-term engagement.

Within this broader effort, the username field stands out as a key friction point:

• A large proportion of users drop off after interacting with the username field
• 38.31% of users who abandon account creation do so while filling out the username field
• This drop-off is most likely driven by validation errors (for example, unavailable usernames or formatting issues)
• These issues are amplified on mobile, where typing and correcting input is more difficult

To date, the team has focused on incremental improvements to enable rapid iteration and learning (for example, T408649: Early design exploration for Account Creation: V1 designs, T415972: Account Creation: V2 experiment designs). This task builds on that approach while exploring a higher-impact intervention within a critical step of the flow.

Problem

Users face significant friction when creating a username due to:

• Availability conflicts requiring repeated attempts
• Validation errors that interrupt progress
• Lack of clear, easy alternatives when a username is rejected
• This creates a high-friction, error-prone interaction at a critical point in the funnel, contributing directly to abandonment.

Proposed solution

Add an option to surface auto-generated, available username suggestions during account creation.
This may include:

• Displaying a list of suggested usernames when the user focuses on or begins typing in the username field
• Ensuring all suggestions are valid and available (at the time suggested)
• Allowing users to select a suggestion with a single tap or click
• Providing the ability to refresh or generate additional suggestions
• Optionally incorporating lightweight personalization (for example, based on previously entered unavailable username)

Design considerations

In line with the broader epic goals, this feature should emphasize:

• Simplicity: Reduce the effort required to choose a valid username
• Clarity: Clearly communicate that suggested usernames are available and acceptable
• Accessibility: Ensure the interaction works well on mobile and for diverse users
• Non-blocking UX: Preserve the ability for users to enter a custom username

Hypothesis

If users on mobile are provided with auto-generated, valid username suggestions, then friction in the username step will decrease, leading to higher account creation completion rates.

Acceptance criteria

• Actionable designs shared with the team
• Designs and Acceptance Criteria added to: T424906: Account Creation V3 Experiment: autogenerated username suggestions