How to design better forms?

Forms are an essential part of many websites and applications, and they are often the primary way users interact with a digital product. As such, it's essential to design forms that are intuitive, easy to use, and visually appealing. In this article, we'll discuss some best practices to design forms that improve the user experience and make completing them a breeze.

Avoid placeholders as a label

Using placeholders as a label in forms can create usability issues as it makes it difficult for users to remember what information should be entered in each field, leading to errors and frustration.

Keep labels short

Keeping labels short is important because it helps users quickly understand what information is expected in the input field, reducing cognitive load and increasing usability.

Top align labels

Top-aligned labels in forms improve the user experience by ensuring that the user's focus is on the label and the corresponding input field. This approach reduces the risk of errors and increases the speed and accuracy of form completion, making it a best practice in form design.

Forms should be one column

Forms should be one column because it creates a linear flow for users and reduces the cognitive load. It also ensures that the form is easy to scan and fill out, particularly on mobile devices.

Group labels with their inputs

Grouping labels with their inputs in a form improves usability by providing clear context and reducing cognitive load for the user.

Avoid all caps

Avoiding all caps in forms is important because it can make the text harder to read and may convey a sense of shouting or aggression. Using a sentence case or title case is more visually appealing and easier to read.

Stacking Checkboxes and Radios Vertically

Stacking checkboxes and radios vertically make them easier to scan and read, as it follows the natural reading pattern of the user. It also reduces the risk of user errors.

Use field length as an affordance

Helps users understand the expected input and reduce errors by visually communicating the maximum or minimum length of the input.

Group related information

Breaking up forms into logical groups helps users process information more efficiently, as they tend to think in small batches rather than being overwhelmed by a long form.

Make CTAs descriptive

Making CTAs descriptive in forms is important because it helps users understand the purpose of the action they are taking and reduces confusion and errors.

Differentiate primary & secondary CTA

Differentiating primary and secondary CTAs prioritizes user actions and improves user experience.

A more prominent primary CTA and secondary CTAs for less important actions help users complete desired tasks and reduce confusion and cognitive load.

Specify errors inline

Inline error messages in forms provide immediate feedback to users and help them correct mistakes faster, leading to a better user experience.

Add indication of progress for multiple-step forms

Adding an indication of progress for multiple-step forms helps users understand where they are in the process, how much they have completed, and how much they still have left to complete. This helps users to feel in control of the process and reduces confusion and frustration, leading to a better user experience.