Often applying simple concepts makes forms easy to read and easy to fill out.
Here's one example:
Align your answer choices vertically so that all the choices are visible at a glance. Don't force people to read across the entire page to answer your questions.
Take a look at this segment from a before and after:
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The horizontal presentation is more difficult for readers than a vertically aligned series of boxes, especially when it occurs many times throughout a form.
In the original, it’s difficult to tell the difference between the question and the labels for the box. In the vertical presentation, it’s easier to see all the choices at a glance, unifying them and making the decision of which to choose easier.
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Want to learn more about how to create clear and usable forms? Email us about our forms book:
How to Create Forms that Get the Job Done, communication briefings: Blackwood, NJ, 1993.
"The forms guidelines in the book are universally relevant," says Janet Dean, writing in Rapport newsletter. "Written in a style that involves the reader, the authors have created an easy 'buy in' for the information being presented. The entire focus of the book is expressed clearly and succinctly."
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Center for Clear Communication ι 26 Hawthorn Court ι Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 340-1747 ι Clearly@aol.com
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