Checklist for well-designed & high performing

forms

Creating forms is a common task in web development and other fields. To

ensure that your forms are well-designed and functional, you can follow

this checklist:

Clear Purpose: - Determine the purpose of the form and what data you

need to collect from users.

User-Friendly Design: - Keep the form layout clean and easy to navigate.

Use labels, placeholders, and hints to guide users.

Responsive Design: - Ensure the form is responsive and looks good on

various devices and screen sizes.

Field Selection: - Include only necessary fields to minimize user effort.

Differentiate between required and optional fields.

Validation: - Implement client-side validation for data accuracy and

immediate feedback.

Use server-side validation to double-check data before processing.

Error Handling: - Clearly indicate errors with meaningful error messages.

Highlight the fields with errors.

Accessibility: - Ensure the form is accessible to users with disabilities by

following WCAG guidelines.

Progress Indicators: - For multi-step or long forms, provide progress

indicators to help users understand where they are in the process.

Button Placement: - Place the submit button at the end of the form.

Use clear labels on buttons (e.g., “Submit,” “Next,” “Back”).

Confirmation: - Provide a confirmation message or page after

successful form submission.

Security: - Implement security measures to protect against common

web vulnerabilities like CSRF and XSS.

Data Privacy: - Clearly communicate your data privacy policy and terms

of service.

Include checkboxes for consent if applicable.

Captcha/Spam Protection: - Implement anti-spam measures like

CAPTCHA to prevent automated submissions.

Field Types: - Use appropriate field types (text, number, email, etc.) for

data input.

Include date pickers and dropdowns when necessary.

Auto-Fill and Autocomplete: - Enable auto-fill and auto-complete

attributes on form fields to improve the user experience.

Confirmation Page: - Provide a summary or confirmation page before

submission for review.

Feedback: - Offer feedback on successful form submission, and provide

contact information for support.

Save Progress: - If applicable, allow users to save their progress and

resume later.

Testing: - Test the form thoroughly in various browsers and devices.

Conduct usability testing to identify and address any user experience

issues.

Analytics: - Implement tracking or analytics to monitor user interactions

with the form.

Mobile-Friendly Keyboard: - Ensure that the keyboard layout adapts to

the input field (e.g., numeric keyboard for phone number).

Placeholder Text: - Use placeholder text wisely; it should be a hint, not a

replacement for labels.

 Autoformatting: - If applicable, add autoformatting to help users enter

data correctly (e.g., phone numbers).

Field Order: - Consider the logical order of fields and follow common

conventions (e.g., name, email, message).

Performance: - Optimize the form’s performance to reduce load times.

Feedback Loops: - Collect feedback from users to continuously improve

the form’s design and functionality.

By following this checklist, you can create effective and user-friendly

forms for a variety of purposes, from contact forms to complex data

collection processes.