Creating Bulletproof and Easy to Complete Web Forms
CREATE FRIENDLY FORMS THAT ARE EASY TO COMPLETE
Guidelines covered in this chapter
Highlight either required or optional fields.
Accept entries in all common formats.
Provide sample entries, pull-downs, and formatting hints to ensure clean data.
Explicitly state limits to characters, number of entries, and so forth.
If customers can't choose it, don't show it.
Validate entries (as soon as possible).
Button up: Eliminate the Reset button and disable the Submit button after it's clicked.
Assist form dropouts by saving information.
Introduction
Forms are a hassle. "Invalid" responses, confusing choices, and unacceptable entries constantly gum up the works. It's no wonder that many busy surfers simply give up when faced with forms. Here's what you can do to help.