Book Review: Web Form Design by Luke Wroblewski

A richly interesting book about a bland topic: Web Forms.

In Web Form Design, author Luke Wroblewski reminds us that users hate filling out forms, and he applies cutting-edge research to recommend best practices:

First, get rid of all the questions on the form that aren't truly needed. Luke cites the example of Credit Card type (Visa, Mastercard, etc). At first glance this field may seem important, but it can be removed from the form because it can be automatically derived from the card number.

Second, design the layout--the fields, labels, help text, and buttons--in ways that give users' eyes a clear view of what path will lead them to completion. In chapters 4 - 8, Luke's presentation of eye-tracking studies and user satisfaction surveys gives us proven answers to age-old form design questions:

• What are the pros and cons of labels being top-align, left-aligned or right-aligned?  Which is best?
• Where should the Submit button be positioned, and what about a Cancel or Reset or Next/Previous buttons?When should forms validate inputs, and where should they provide feedback and error messages to users?

Finally, in Chapters 12 and 13, the book provides examples and comparisons of the newest form design techniques, some of which eliminate use of forms altogether through 'Gradual Engagement' that changes interactions to allow users to gradually provide small pieces of information as they build a more personal connection with a website.

Web Form Design is an engaging page-turner with frequent examples and annotated illustrations. The suggestions in the book provide good usability and accessibility techniques without over-reliance on AJAX or Javascript that may not work for all users.

The book is available online and OJC Technologies owns a copy.

Luke's book is a must-read for all of us who design web forms -- it will help you become successful at increasing completion rates and user satisfaction while decreasing completion times and errors.