Forms: Less Is More

Forms: Less Is More

Guy MacArthur | 12/08/2009

People don’t like filling out forms, it’s a fact. So, when designing your web forms try using the less is more approach.

Try to collect only what you need.  Unless you plan on sending your site visitors love letters and the occasional box of chocolates you really don’t need their address. A state or postcode should be enough for your user tracking stats.

Use fewer fields. You probably don’t need my middle initial, and Mr. MacArthur is my father… You can call me Guy.

Versus …

Lastly, try not to overload your visitors with choices. I can sort through 100+ checkboxes ticking which ones apply to me, but I won’t. Drop down lists can be equally frustrating when I’m forced to scroll through looking for the option that applies to me. A great way to help the visitor find the option they’re looking for is to replace that drop down list with an auto completing text field.

A drop down list with too many options. This particular list contains over 200 options.

This text field which has been enhanced with an auto completion tool quickly helps the user find the option their looking for with just a couple key strokes.

Any one of these suggestions can improve your forms, and using all of them may well end up producing a form even I may fill out.

tags: Web Design