Top 10 Form Usability Tips

1. Place form labels above text fields

2. Cluster similar types of controls

3. Use standard values to enable autofill

4. Use <select> sparingly

Select or pulldown menus require more user effort. They also are the single most visually distracting form element. Unless it's an extremely long list of choices, try radio buttons or checkboxes instead.







5. Submit buttons don't have to be "Submit" buttons

6. Use smart scripts

7. Select logical defaults, or none at all

8. For multi-page forms, give the user a progress map

9. Postbacks. Please.

10. Use design to help the user