Chapter 4: Form Bloopers

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Overview

The Web, originally devised as a global medium for sharing and browsing static information, has evolved into an interactive medium. The most common method of interaction today is the data-entry form.

Forms consist of data fields, controls, labels, and action buttons . A form can be as brief as a single Search box or as long as a multipage survey or insurance application. Data fields and controls in Web forms consist mainly of standard controls inherited from pre-Web graphical user interfaces (GUIs): text and number fields, radiobuttons , checkboxes, menus , and so on. However, the Web is a new and rapidly evolving medium in which designers are exercising their creativity to devise new interaction techniques and controls, for better or worse .

Unfortunately, many forms and control panels on the Web have been designed-"hacked together" is often a more accurate term -with little or no support from user-interface designers. Other forms suffer from too much creativity and not enough common sense.

This chapter describes the most common bloopers Web designers and developers make when devising forms and control panels.

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