Users fill out many forms day, whether it is just loging-in, signing-up or something else the user has to repeditivly enter in his or her infomation. The worst example that I have found is Microsoft, lets look at the steps to get a free usb drive from them. (The same thing applies to pretty much, if not all forms that Microsoft has.) You need to sign in with your passport. Ok, I have entered all the infomation except for the answers to the questions, many times before, so why can’t they just ask me for the answers insted of asking me for everything again. I have seen some sites where they try to help you either by having a checkbox that you can check to say if your billing is the same as your postal address, or you get the same big form but some of the info that they already have on you is there. Lets start with the first thing in that sentence: the checkbox to say that your billing is the same as your postal. The problem I have with some of the site. Is that I paid via PayPal, and see no need for a billing address. Thurermore, I am contantly asked for my phone number, (as a required field) but I see no reason for them to ring me. An example is an online advertising company, who asked me for my phone number. (I was a publisher with them) But I could never see them calling me, as they had my email, and I live in Australia so it would cost a bit more for a call…

The two main points I want to get across:

• Don’t collect data you will never use! (If you think that there is a small chance that you will in the future, ask for it then. Asking the user politly saying something to the tune of: “Sorry, but due to legal reasons, we need to know your birth date, please enter it in the form below.” (With a link to the “legal reasons”) I have done this to all my apps and I constantly get praise for it.
• Don’t ask for data that you already have! The Microsoft example above is probably the best one.

So how much easier is this to the user?

Well lets look at the before and after pics below:

Before: After: (Note: they are not to scale)

Now I have entered my information before that is why the after is so small, but below is the crap. (Two versions, one for people who have entered their details before. and one who just logged in via passport.)

No previous details: Previous Details:
Please note that I have been very leenient and have only taken out the things that arn’t required, it could be improved more.

As you see in the pictures, The whole “name section” could be put into one field: “your name”. How easier is that to the user? The two boxes (repeated twice times. (In total three times)):


Microsoft may use the address I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.

Microsoft Partners may use the address I have provided above to contact me regarding important security, product, and event information.

1. Who in the right mind is going to tick on of those boxed?
2. Why three, if you want to spam your users at least do them a favour by only making them tick one box insted of six.

They ask you for your phone number and if it is “TTY (Teletype) enabled.”

Again dot points:

1. Who cares about TTY, as if Microsoft would use it.
2. Why do they need my phone number? Welcome to the year 2006, we use email!

Now the stupidest thing on the form: It askes for your email, even though you had to signin with one. [:: rolls eyes ::]

See how you can reduce the amount of data you 1. Have to save. 2. That the poor user has to enter. When designing a form remember that a user enters data in many forms, so anyway that you can help them reduce the time taken, will result in happy users.

Update: Microsoft, has added a function where it fills in the form with the details it already has on you.

Steven