The Evolution of Forms: The Standardized Era

The next distinct era of forms, the Standardized Era is tightly coupled with the industrial boom. Forms had already been established as part of the way that organizations did business but the amount of growth in this period put a strain on forms. Due to this quick growth came a demand that forms be faster. We need to create forms faster, we need to fill forms faster, we need use forms faster. This demand pushed forms into a very standardized box which would allow processes to be built around the forms and their expected content.

Technology also played a major role in helping to drive forms into this standard defined page. Things like the typewriter, photocopiers and fax machines allowed for forms to be reproduced and filled more quickly. The key to this being that the standard page for forms was now looked upon as an 8 by 11 page with expected areas to enter in information, which probably feels very familiar to people.

Which brings us to where we are today. We have this standardized definition of what a form is. Forms are not designed to be flexible or modularized in anyway. We have a kind of Frankenstein monster do we have on our hands, sure they are alive but should they?

There comes a breaking point where we can no longer ignore the problem and organizations are starting to realize this. Just like taking care of a house at some point you have to tear the walls down and see how bad it is underneath. If you don’t you’re leaving yourself open to major risks.