Large web forms (dozens of fields) designed for trained / experienced users?

Question

For a long time I was looking for some recommendations or examples of creating web forms of large forms (dozens of fields - perhaps 50+) for the user base that will be trained in the application.

99.9% of indications seem to be oriented towards “accessibility” or “intuitiveness,” which are, by all means, real goals. The problem is that the form, which will be used on a one-time or infrequent basis by users who are likely to encounter it during the first (or only) time, will require many different considerations compared to the form for entering data into a business application which will be reused throughout the day by users trained in the app.

• If I develop a one-time (say, registration form), then I want to focus on the development of the form so that the user can not naturally flow through the steps and ultimately complete his task and feel all warm and fuzzy.
• If I design an experienced user who will use the 20x form per day, they will want it to be designed to minimize clicks and navigation, etc. They do not care about how they look or a little and subtle tips to help them work through the form. They know the shape, like the back of their hand, and just want to be able to enter data as quickly as possible and see as much as possible in one view.

The requirements that I receive from users are that they want to see "everything" on one screen. They do not want to scroll. They want to minimize clicking on other pages in order to continue working.

Does anyone have any suggestions / links / scary warnings?

Thanks Dave

Answer 1

My instinct is to tell you to break it into sections that the user can move between them in order to minimize the amount of continuous data input that they should do, as well as save sections that you should check for mini. Get all the way to the bottom just to scroll back up ... annoyingly!

Since you want to get a bigger shape, my suggestions are:

• Check how you go. As soon as the user leaves the entry or section, let them know that everything is in order. Do not glue them with control, but use visual feedback (for example, the background will be red or similar).

• Do not lose this page! Use whatever technique you can (including background view) to store custom states. Oddly enough, a certain user-managed programmer community website does this ...

• Navigation tab! Set tab order! Your keyboard wizards will love you

• Although you may need to hush up as much as possible on one line, no need. Keep good distances and vertical navigation - people are used to scroll vertically, and a good spacing makes reading understandable.

There is much more, but, as you might expect, there is an even better answer, here

Answer 2

We cover the key drivers for developing forms for high-performance, trained users in our book "Forms That Work."

Key points are:

• Try rewriting everything on one page as described. When you tap the screen from screen to screen, it becomes very tedious very quickly when you use the same form every day every day.
• If you need to separate some elements, do an extremely thorough observational analysis to find out which items are rarely used. Place them on the “extra click” screen.
• Reduce labels ruthlessly by advising users which abbreviations are needed. In any case, they will quickly stop reading labels, working mainly from the absolute position of the fields relative to each other ...
• ... which means: never allow the field to move. Make sure that they maintain their absolute position; this is important for completion speed.
• Make sure the form is fully accessible with just the keys. This is necessary for the quick completion of experienced users.
• Find out where the answers came from to enter the fields. If they print material from another document (this still happens, believe me), make sure that the field is located in identical absolute positions to each other, as shown in the layout of the document from which they print.
• Don't worry too much “intuitiveness”; these people will be trained.
• The bounce rate is absolutely irrelevant, so you can skip any advice that you see about the "conversion" or "bounce rate". These users do not have the opportunity to go to another place and make a different form.

Email me directly if you want to discuss this in more detail: Caroline Jarrett. Further Information on Forms That Work - Our Book Website

Answer 3

I have two suggestions. Keyboard and consistency. The only thing you want when you often use this form is the ability to do this with your eyes closed.

The focus should be in the first field, from there it should take the exact sequence if keystrokes fill and submit the form each time. Usually this means type, until all fields are filled, after which you can press Enter to submit.

And try to get audio feedback there when something goes wrong, often people print blind eyes and look at a sheet of paper rather than the screen, a simple beep to make them look at the screen really helps.

Answer 4

hmmm

I understand that the client wants this to be done on the "one" page, but if it is rarely used, as you say, I would give them to them the size of a bite, or your bounce rate will go through the roof.

Here are some links using jquery for forms similar to what I mean:

http://www.thecodemine.org/

http://cardonadesigns.com/wordpress/thoughts/ajaxish.php

http://jquery.bassistance.de/validate/demo/multipart/

to name a few.