Young Black woman scrolling on her phone
Business

Designing Effective Forms and Webpages

Programs and services can improve the customer experience by simplifying registration processes, and making webpages easier to navigate.

  • Young Black woman scrolling on her phone. Title reads: Designing Effective Forms and Webpages
  • Diverse people line up at a registration desk. On the side, a Black woman's hands scroll on a phone. Title reads: improving customer experience.
  • A Black woman with curly blonde hair reads her mobile phone outdoors against a white wall. On the side, is the mock up of a website. Title reads: barriers to action
  • Asian people seated on public transport scroll and watch their phones. Title reads: evaluation and analysis
  • An Asian man wearing a face mask reads his phone on the street beside his motorbike. On the side a while person's hands hold a phone with a large tick on the screen. Title reads: Simplify forms
  • A white older man in a hat and jacket writes on his phone outdoors. Two young white women are smiling while looking at one of their phones, in a cafe. Title reads: enhance webpages
  • A transparent picture of a plant on a desk behind glasses and a notebook. Title reads: how social science helped

Summary

  • I worked with an organisation to improve their service registration form and website
  • I suggested behavioural solutions to simplify the registration form. This includes optimising it for mobile, making the questions easier to read and action, and clarifying requirements
  • I also provided advice on enhancing the organisation’s service webpage. This includes a call to action, appealing to client motivations and expectations, making registration more attractive and using an influential messenger
  • My advice draws on social science theories on user design and customer experience, as well as social science methods of evaluating information, content themes, language, and images.
A white woman's hands holds a phone, with the thumb mid-scroll

Background

I previously discussed my advice to Employment Advocate,* an agency seeking to improve take-up of their Employment Register. This free service matches clients with willing employers seeking new staff.

While it sounds intuitive, complicated registration processes put people off, especially vulnerable people who are struggling. However, time and again, service providers fail to recognise flaws in their registration. In particular, forms that take a long time are less likely to be completed, while shorter surveys that take less than 20 minutes are more likely to be completed. Having run many program and service projects, however, I suggest that a good rule of thumb is to aim for five minutes or less completion time.

Keeping the registration form simple can also increase completion. A study found that simplifying a letter, by shortening content, keeping only relevant information, and improving the layout, increased tax compliance by 23%.

Black woman with curly blonde hair reads her mobile phone outdoors against a white wall

What we did

In my last post, I discussed my advice on how to improve messages promoting the Employment Register.

Previous communications from Employment Advocate to their clients linked to their website. Last time, I showed that the new messages should link directly to the Register form.

Nevertheless, Employment Advocate wanted additional advice about improving the registration form and making their service webpage more attractive.

How we did it

First, I evaluated Employment Advocate’s registration process and identified ways to improve the customer experience.

Evaluation

My analysis shows the registration form is too long and clunky to fill out on mobile (friction costs). The form is hard to read and complete on phone. Since the form is being sent via SMS, people may be busy, or on the go in a public place. The form needs to be straight-forward to complete on the spot.

People are deterred from getting help if the process is inconvenient (hassle factor). For example, there are too many unnecessary steps, the process is confusing, or if the effort seems unwarranted. The form must therefore be simplified and optimised for mobile.

Every day, the average person receives 121 work emails and up to 85 text messages. We also spend an average of 2.5 hours on social media, and we are exposed to up to 10,000 ads through media and incidental advertising, such as on public transport, public toilets, and billboards. Individuals who are overwhelmed by information are unlikely to consider complex decisions or take new actions (information overload). Businesses overestimate people’s willingness to go back to a message later, or to prioritise new decisions under a barrage thousands of messages vying for their attention.

Asian people seated on public transport scroll and watch their phones

Content analysis

Second, I conducted content analysis of the Employment Register webpage, as the current messages include a link to this site.

This webpage includes a lot of information about the organisation and their various services (information overload). Clients must scroll over a clunky list of services, a huge and unrelated photo in the centre, and skim over repetitive information.

The website link to the Employment Registration form is buried among other links. This forces clients to tread irrelevant information when they are already overwhelmed (scarcity mindset). They must also click on multiple links before reaching the form.

Websites must be easy to navigate. Most people bounce away from websites within ten seconds, especially if they cannot quickly find what they need.

Asian man wearing a face mask reads his phone on the street beside his motorbike

What we found

My evaluation identified two opportunities for improvement: simplifying the registration form, and enhancing the service webpage.

Simplifying the registration form

First, I provided advice on removing unnecessary steps from the registration form (simplification).

  • To make the registration form mobile-accessible, the layout should be optimised for mobile.
  • The current registration form is hard to read and complete. The questions are centred, meaning you have to pinch the screen on mobile, and move the page around to read the text. Text should be aligned left for easy reading.
  • Users must select their location from a list of tick boxes, but these are difficult to read, and some of the options are cut off on mobile screens. Lists and multiple choice questions should be brief and easy to select.
  • There are too many irrelevant and repetitive questions. For example, people’s middle name and mailing address are required, and two questions require a contact number as well as a mobile number. Reduce unnecessary questions, including those not required to provide the service.

To make the form easier to complete, use easy English. That is, language that can be easily understood, with everyday words, and simple sentences.

  • Various questions are unclear. (E.g. ‘What level are you in your training? Are you at the same level for your formal training?’) Keep the wording simple and relevant to the registration.
  • The form includes questions asking clients to recount what went wrong with their previous employer, and why they did not seek help earlier. It is unclear how this relates to the service. People who are overwhelmed don’t want to be reminded of failure. Only include questions directly used to deliver services, in this case, matching skills and qualifications with employers.
  • The form includes an informed consent tick-box that reads like legal jargon. This may scare off clients. Clearly describe what information is being collected, why, and what is shared with third parties (such as employers). E.g. We do not share your contact information with employers unless you agree to a job match. Do you agree that we can call you about relevant job opportunities?
A white older man in a hat and jacket writes on his phone outdoors

Enhancing the service webpage

The current webpage lists the benefits of the service (such as financial support) and the link to the Employment Registration form at the bottom of the page.

People can be incentivised to take-up services when the benefits are clear. I suggest reorganising information so that what’s most relevant is at the top.

  • Make it easy to take action: Include the registration form link at the top of the webpage, with a call to action. Tell them what they have to do and how. E.g. To be matched with an employer, fill in this form. It only takes two minutes: https://bit.ly/EmployRegister
  • Appeal to motivations: Set expectations about the service that align with the clients’ needs, such as a quick response from employers. E.g. Most clients hear from employers within 14 days
  • Make it attractive to register: Include information about financial assistance at the top. Emphasise that employers are keen for new hires. E.g. We can provide $2,500 in financial assistance. We have 500 employers across many industries eager to meet you
  • Use the power of social influence (messenger effect): People are more likely to change their behaviour if they hear from an influential person. Include a short case study or testimonial from a client who signed up to the Employment Register, and a photo. Show how quickly they were matched with a great employer.
  • Simplify information: Reduce repetition. The current webpage includes multiple summaries of the Employment Register. Describe the service once, in easy English.
Two young white women are smiling while looking at one of their phones, in a cafe

How Social Science Helped

Social science theory: I used social science literature to identify issues in user design of webpages, and ways to enhance customer experience.

Social science method: I used content analysis to identify patterns in the form and webpage design. For example, I demonstrated use of language, images, recurring themes, repetition, and navigation.

Tips:

  • Use simple language
  • Keep forms and webpages short
  • Reduce the number of questions on forms and surveys, ideally ten or less, including demographics
  • Don’t ask for irrelevant information, that is, details that won’t be used to deliver services
  • Make forms and websites mobile-friendly, by optimising layout and making completion easy to use on touch screens.
  • A person works on a computer. Their monitor shows a mockup of a website. Title reads: 2 ways to improve forms and webpages
  • A Black woman wears a phone headset while sitting in front of a keyboard and computer mouse. She rubs her temples and closes her eyes. In the bckground a computer shows various designs. Title reads: reduce excessive detail
  • Two Asian people wearing hard hats and hi-vis vests are smiling outdoors. In another picture, hands work on a laptop while someone else points to a graph on a tablet. Title reads: Grab their attention
  • Two Asian people look at a mobile while drinking coffee. In the background is a person wearing a watch. Title reads: Send optimised messages

Notes

*Employment Advocate is a pseudonym.

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