Online Forms

What It Is

An online form is any interaction in which a user supplies information to complete a task. Examples of online forms are event registrations, travel reservations, and customer questionnaires.

To design online forms that are easy for your customers to understand and use, complete this checklist developed by a leading expert in online literacy, Dr. Kathryn Summers of the University of Baltimore.

Online Forms Checklist – two-page list of design best practices.
(PDF, 26 KB, 2 pages, July 2008)

Why It's Important

• Fifty percent of U.S. adults read at the 8th grade level or below
• These recommendations balance the needs of low- and high-literacy users

Specific Requirements

By making your agency forms easy to understand and complete, you help the public get things done quickly without having to ask for assistance. This saves valuable time for both your agency and the public, and can lead to better customer service.

OMB Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites require agencies to (#1A) "disseminate information to the public in a timely, equitable, efficient and appropriate manner," and (#2A) "maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information and services provided to the public."

Examples

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Consumer Complaint Form

Other Resources

Creating Usable Online Forms (Usability.gov article)