QA Checklist: Form Usability

You're asking the user to give you something - don't make it harder than it needs to be.

Posted 05 Dec 2007, late morning.

Explanation

Explain the purpose of the form; the user should understand what information they are submitting and why.
Make it clear who will be receiving the information and what it will be used for.
Offer help where it's needed; where possible, try to pre-empt questions and provide answers within the interface. Alternatively, make sure there's a link to an appropriate 'help' page with an easy way to return to the form.

How many steps are there? If the form is split over multiple pages - as is often the case with complex forms - make it clear at the start and give some idea how long it should take to complete.
Where am I? For multiple-stage forms, show the user where they are, where they've been and where they're going next. Provide a way to navigate forward and back to change previously submitted information.
Don't reinvent the wheel; there are certain established UI conventions that apply to forms. Take a look at a typical dialogue box or configuration window in a desktop application (such as your browser) and you will notice that the layout of controls, fields and their labels is predictably similar. You're asking the user to give you information - don't make it harder than it needs to be.

Don't rely on client-side validation; if you do use scripting to catch mistakes (and this can be useful), make sure it's checked again on the server.
Be flexible; don't punish users who enter data in a slightly different format (numbers, dates, addresses etc.)
Don't shout ERROR!! Mistakes happen - it really isn't the end of the world as we know it. Highlight where they've gone wrong and explain how to correct it.
Keep the user on the same page; don't force them to 'use the back button'.
List any problems at the top of the form and highlight the fields individually.
Don't 'forget' what they've already entered.

Confirmation pages should be clear and concise; it should make it obvious that the form has been submitted successfully.
Don't forget to say 'thank you!'
Explain what happens next; will you be contacting them? Do they need to do anything else?
Point them in the right direction; suggest a link back to the homepage or another suitable starting point. If they were in the middle of something else before submitting the form, provide an easy way to get back there.