TurboTax has something that struck me today as similar (in spirit) to this, though TurboTax's is a skeuomorphic thing.
It's the "Save & Exit" button TurboTax has. I'm sure that they are saving all info as it is entered, but users of QuickBooks, Excel, etc., I'm sure are used to having to save their data manually then exit.
I think all the guffawing at this progress bar is a little overblown. If a question or concern comes up in user testing multiple times -- "How do I know my connection is secure?" -- then why not put something in there that makes the user feel safer? What's the problem with that? Sure maybe it's a little overblown graphically but, c'mon, when you're a bank you need your customers to feel secure, in addition to actually being secure.
I think it is a terrible idea to put fake security symbols on the screen. It makes people trust those fake symbols instead of learning what they should look for. Since the symbols are just fake it is very easy to stage a MITM attack.
A much better security indicator would be something saying "This site is secure if there's a green area in the address bar [picture of what it should look like]. Click it to verify our identity.".
I'm pretty sure Turbo Tax is not saving as you go. I had just finished entering my income a couple of weeks ago, and just as I started on my deductions, it crashed. None of the work I had done up to that point was saved.
It's the "Save & Exit" button TurboTax has. I'm sure that they are saving all info as it is entered, but users of QuickBooks, Excel, etc., I'm sure are used to having to save their data manually then exit.
I think all the guffawing at this progress bar is a little overblown. If a question or concern comes up in user testing multiple times -- "How do I know my connection is secure?" -- then why not put something in there that makes the user feel safer? What's the problem with that? Sure maybe it's a little overblown graphically but, c'mon, when you're a bank you need your customers to feel secure, in addition to actually being secure.