Confirmation Questions

Registration for a web site should be as painless as possible. Some sites don't get this. I recently registered on a web site which required 3 "secret" questions to be answered in case I forgot my password.

This was the most difficult part of registration- Who thinks up these?

What is your most unique characteristic?

• Subjective? How do I answer this? Why would I answer this when the answer could be stored in plain text

What is your favorite flower?

• Surprise, don't have one - I'm a guy

What was the last name of your first grade teacher?

• reasonable question

What is was your first car?

• reasonable question

What was your most memorable gift as a child?

• don't remember

Who is your favorite person from history?

• Is it weird that I don't have one?

Name of a childhood best friend?

• Was a loner

Name of a college you applied to but did not attend?

• None

Name of a favorite childhood pet?

• reasonable

Name the first school you ever attended?

• Is this asking me to name it? Ok, how about "The Really Big Elementary School"

Name the highest mountain you've been to the top of?

• Your kidding me... Mount Iliveintheplanes??

What city were you born in?

• reasonable

What is the last name of the most famous person you've met?

• Written by someone in California, no doubt.

What is the last name of your childhood doctor?

• How would I know this? How would I remember this?

What is the name of your favorite novel?

• Novels are non-fiction - i.e. they are lacking facts, meaning I don't read them

What is your favorite pet's name?

• Didn't you ask this already? Isn't this subject to change - like when the pet dies? Is this really meant for adults?

What is your youngest sibling's nickname?

• Didn't have a nickname really

I don't think these people care about the user experience.