Tutorials

Forms are ubiquitous, essential and widely disliked, but they do not have to be a difficult experience for the user. This tutorial concentrates on the human side of forms: how we interact with, and think about forms and how to make them as easy for users as practicable.

PARTICIPANT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE EXPECTED

You do not need any special knowledge or experience. You do need to have some interest in forms and preferably to be working with forms in some way.

GOALS FOR THE SESSION

You will learn:

• The three-layer model of the form: relationship, conversation and appearance
• A six-step process of creating form that works for the users
  1. Define the information requirement
  2. Understand the relationship
  3. Write questions
  4. Create a conversation
  5. Design an appropriate appearance
  6. Find out whether the forms works by testing
• The importance of iteration throughout the process.

Take-aways include:

• a deep understanding of forms, encapsulated in a variety of slogans and guidelines that are easy to remember and apply
• thorough appreciation of the three-layer model of forms (relationship, conversation and appearance) and how to use it to improve forms
• a range of ways of testing forms and understanding of the value of testing.

New this year

Since last year, I have added a "6-step process for creating usable forms" that pulls the material together and creates a clearer flow through the day.

TUTORIAL SCHEDULE WITH TIME ALLOCATION

Note: there are exercises throughout the day. These are described below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Introduction, outline of the day, definition of 'what makes a good form'

Warm up section that introduces the topics to be covered. You'll be encouraged to contribute your views and ask questions throughout the day, and you'll start by ranking three forms in order from best to worst, using whatever criteria you think are important.

The information requirement

Error rates on paper forms are frequently extremely high. This section of the day looks at finding out what you need to find out, and finding out what data your organization already holds and uses. The practical exercise is based on discussion of the relative business value and likely error rates on four typical fields on a conference registration form.

Break

Relationships: the users' reactions to forms

People react differently to forms than to other pages on a web site or in a package of documentation. This section discusses the relationship changes from box to box as the user works through the form. We also look at trust and research on response rates in questionnaires as a basis for thinking about response rates / dropout rates on forms.

In the practical exercise, you'll create a definition of your users and think about whether or not the form is important to them.

Conversation part 1: Questions

This topic looks in detail at how users answer questions, or find or construct the answer to a question. We look briefly at the cognitive aspects of reading, then go into more detail on 'locating the answer' and how to choose the appropriate response spaces (also known as 'controls').

Participants will establish how users find the answers for an example form. This exercise is another that looks rather easy but turns out to be a bit more difficult that the participants expect.

Lunch

Conversation part 2: topics and flow

A great form is like a pleasant conversation: you hardly notice that you've given out information because you're enjoying it. This section looks at creating a flow across topics, designing validations, and sorting out a preamble (also knows as the instructions at the start of a form).

You will design a validation message for one of the fields on the conference booking form and work on improving the preamble for a form that we've looked at as an example in the 'relationship' section.

The appearance of forms

If forms look good, they are nicer to fill in. This section is about designing an attractive appearance for the form. Throughout this topic, you will redesign a typical form to create a paper prototype that you test in the final session of the day.

After a brief look at the visual aspects of typography, we go in more detail into the topics of grids and chunking - using graphic and other devices to divide the form into manageable areas. We then discuss where to place the prompts relative to the boxes for different types of forms and differing user needs. Before the break, you'll work in teams to produce your final prototype.

Testing

The final session of the day looks at layer checks (desk checks that relate to the three-layer model of the form that underlies the construction of the day) and then at usability testing. You will try out appropriate checks on your newly designed prototypes.

We then look at how to adapt usability testing for testing forms, and participants will try a short test of the prototype forms.

The day closes with a brief review of the key topics and a final opportunity for questions.

SPEAKER

Caroline Jarrett

Usability consultant

Effortmark Ltd

Caroline Jarrett specialises in usability of forms and work processes involving forms. She has consulted on forms design with the UK Inland Revenue for many years, and wrote their 'Body of Knowledge for Forms Usability'. Government forms are her favourites, but she enjoys working on any type of form or questionnaire.

She teaches forms design, usability testing and interviewing skills for usability testing. She was the practitioner member of the Open University team that created their new course ‘User Interface Design and Evaluation', and wrote the units "Evaluation in practice" and "Usability in Organisations".

Caroline holds an MA and MBA, and is a Chartered Engineer. She is vice-president of the UK UPA chapter.