{"id":11764,"date":"2025-02-28T22:10:58","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T22:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=11764"},"modified":"2025-03-01T00:20:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-01T00:20:15","slug":"guide-to-form-design-with-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/guide-to-form-design-with-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Your ultimate guide to form design (with tips, best practices, and examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to designing digital products, forms have an important role to play. Whether buying something online, creating a new account, or reaching out with an inquiry; well-designed forms are essential for a seamless user journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>If you want to ensure a positive user experience that drives conversions, you must master the art of form design \u2014 and we\u2019ll show you how in this guide.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep reading to learn everything you need to know, including practical tips, best practices, and real-world examples.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<h2><strong>What is form design and why does it matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><b>Form design is all about creating forms that are relevant, functional, user-friendly, and visually aligned with the overall brand.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/7-principles-of-icon-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">icon design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/guide-to-typography-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">typography<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/card-design-for-ui\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">card design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, form design is an important aspect of UI design with its own rules, guiding principles, and best practices. It considers the structure, layout, and content of the form \u2014 ensuring it\u2019s optimised for the context, the user, and the task they want to complete.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How you design your forms can ultimately make or break the user experience. This, in turn, has a major impact on the overall success of your product.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine a customer wants to buy something from an e-commerce store. They get to the checkout page, excited to purchase their new products, only to be met with a long, confusing, and slow-loading form. After a minute or two, they give up altogether.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the company behind the form, that\u2019s a valuable customer \u2014 and money \u2014 lost. Not to mention a dent in their brand reputation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s the danger of a poorly designed form. But, when you adhere to the principles and best practices of good form design, you can:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure an easy, inclusive, and accessible user experience<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boost customer satisfaction to drive conversions and revenue<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build trust with your end users and enhance the brand reputation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Form design matters, and we\u2019ll show you how to get it right a bit later on in our guide. First, let\u2019s consider the different types of form design most commonly found on the web.<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-ui-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_text&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UI DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in UI Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2><strong>What are the different types of form design?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To design effective forms, you must first understand the context and purpose of the form in question. Different types of forms are used for different tasks and objectives \u2014 such as enabling a user to complete a purchase, for example, or collecting customer data.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some of the most common types of form design and where you might find them:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Registration and sign-up forms. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are used when creating a new account or signing up for a service. If you wanted to sign up for a dating app, for example, you\u2019d need to complete a registration form.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Log-in forms. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These allow existing and returning users to log into their account quickly and securely. Think logging back into your LinkedIn account, for example.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Application forms. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most commonly used on job sites and hiring portals (e.g. Indeed), application forms guide users through a specific application process. These types of forms tend to be longer than most, and should allow the user to upload files such as a CV or cover letter.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Contact forms <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">enable users to reach out for support or express interest in a product or service. If you\u2019re a freelancer, you might embed a contact form on your portfolio website to encourage potential clients to contact you.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Checkout forms. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are essential for driving conversions on e-commerce websites and online stores. Checkout forms gather billing, shipping, and payment information to help complete a purchase.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lead generation forms <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are used to capture contact information from potential customers in exchange for some kind of user value \u2014 like a downloadable e-book or a free trial.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Surveys and questionnaires. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These types of forms are used to gather customer feedback and reviews, often as part of ongoing research and testing. You might be asked to fill out a quick survey after making a purchase, for example.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each form type has its own unique needs and goals. But, no matter what kind of form you\u2019re designing, there are certain principles that apply across the board. Let\u2019s dive into those now.<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_product-design-programmep-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/product-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=%20blog_panel_text&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN PRODUCT DESIGN (UX &amp; UI)]<\/p>\n                    <span>Enrol now in our Product Design Programme<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2><strong>The fundamental principles of effective form design<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are eight fundamental principles to keep in mind when designing forms for the web.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Clarity and simplicity\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best forms are clear, simple, and straightforward. Users should know exactly what information is required of them and why, and they shouldn\u2019t have to think twice about how to complete the form.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes providing clear field labels, using simple and jargon-free language, and offering helpful tips and instructions where necessary.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Accessibility and inclusivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forms should be designed so that they\u2019re accessible to all users \u2014 be that a person using a screen reader or someone trying to fill out the form on their phone.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Accessible and inclusive form design considers things like inclusive language, easily readable fonts, sufficient colour contrast, and screen reader compatibility (to name just a few).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/accessible-and-inclusive-content\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to design accessible and inclusive content in this guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>User control<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good form design puts users in the driving seat, allowing them to navigate, edit, and review their inputs freely and easily. You can prioritise user control by allowing users to save their progress halfway through, return to previous fields or sections, and edit their responses without starting over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might include a \u201cSave and continue\u201d button, for example, or allow users to review a summary of their input before pressing \u201cSubmit\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Feedback and confirmation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want to seamlessly guide your users through the process of filling out a form, reassuring them that they\u2019re on track and moving closer to task completion. A well-designed form does this by providing immediate feedback and confirmation throughout.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Users should see visual cues for correctly completed fields (a green tick next to the input field, for example), receive helpful error messages when issues arise, and get clear confirmation of successful form submission.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Minimal user input<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like most things in UX and UI design, you want to reduce the effort and cognitive load required of the user. You can streamline the form completion process by using autofill options, dropdown selections, and conditional logic to avoid repetitive tasks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, most importantly, keep the number of input fields to a minimum. Only ask for information that\u2019s absolutely necessary for the task at hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Logical categorisation and information hierarchy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An intuitive, user-friendly form must group information logically and follow an appropriate information hierarchy (usually progressing from \u201ceasiest\u201d, such as entering your name and email address, to \u201chardest\u201d, such as entering credit card details).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Trust and privacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the context, filling out a form can feel like a sensitive task \u2014 especially if the user is required to enter lots of personal details. A well-designed form should instil trust in the user and reassure them that their data is secure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes explaining why certain pieces of information are needed, and how data will be used, protected, and stored.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Responsive design\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All forms should be designed responsively, ensuring they\u2019re fully functional and easy to use on any device and screen size. Mobile-friendly inputs, adaptable layouts, and touch-friendly buttons can all help with consistency and functionality across desktop, mobile, and tablet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can think of these principles as the golden rules of form design. Whenever you\u2019re designing a form of your own, refer back to them for guidance to make sure your form design ticks all the boxes.<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-certificate-in-ui-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_text&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UI DESIGN]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Certificate in UI Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2><strong>How to design great forms: 9 tips and best practices (with examples)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve covered the fundamental principles of form design; now let\u2019s consider how you can put them into practice. Follow these actionable steps to design intuitive, user-friendly, and functional forms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Decide what information is absolutely necessary for your form<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step in designing a great form is to determine what information the form should gather.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the name of clarity, simplicity, and minimal user input, identify the essential fields required to achieve the form\u2019s purpose \u2014 and remove any non-essential fields.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re designing an e-commerce checkout form, for example, ask for shipping and payment details but skip unnecessary data like the user\u2019s date of birth. This helps to streamline the user experience, reduce abandoned cart rates, and boost user satisfaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health and beauty giant Boots uses a simple checkout form, requiring only essential details from the customer. They also break the checkout form down into distinct sections, with a clear overview of the customer\u2019s progress. This makes the purchase process feel quick, manageable, and easy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11765\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-23.52.24.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Boots store website\" width=\"1144\" height=\"1004\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11766\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-23.53.29.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Boots store website\" width=\"1146\" height=\"870\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Organise form fields into logical groups<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, think about how you\u2019ll categorise and present the information in your form. Group related fields into sections so that there\u2019s a logical and intuitive flow, and consider using headers to clarify each section\u2019s purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine you\u2019re designing a form for a job application. You might divide the form into sections for personal information, work experience, and education. This makes longer forms feel more manageable, and enables the user to locate relevant fields quickly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take this example from job portal Indeed. Each section of the form is focused on a specific step in the application process \u2014 breaking it down into logical and manageable units.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11767\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-23.54.28.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Indeed job portal \" width=\"1090\" height=\"792\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Use a single-column layout\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want to guide the user through the form in a natural top-to-bottom flow, so stick to a single-column layout. This feels much more intuitive for the user, helps to reduce cognitive load, and maintains clarity and simplicity across all devices (especially mobile).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is a great example of a one-column form design, found on the UX Design Institute\u2019s \u2018contact\u2019 page. This layout creates a simple, logical, and easily-scannable form \u2014 increasing the chances that a potential customer will get in touch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11770\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-23.56.09.png\" alt=\"screenshot of a single column form\" width=\"684\" height=\"940\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Position form labels above input fields \u2014 and clearly label any optional fields<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a tip that, while seemingly minor, can make all the difference to the readability and user-friendliness of your form. Rather than placing form labels next to input fields, place them directly above.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the same time, clearly label any non-essential fields as \u2018Optional\u2019. This allows the user to skip unnecessary fields (remember the user control principle?) and increases the likelihood that they\u2019ll complete the form in full.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider this checkout form on the Wicked Uncle website (a website for ordering children\u2019s toys and gifts). Above each input field, you have a clear label or heading, showing you exactly which input fields belong to which step.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11771\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-23.57.43.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a children&#039;s store website\" width=\"638\" height=\"654\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Use clear, straightforward language\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When designing forms, you want to communicate with the user as clearly, succinctly, and directly as possible. At the same time, you want to ensure that your language is inclusive and accessible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid technical jargon, use action-focused language that clearly specifies what\u2019s expected of the user, use descriptive and non-ambiguous field labels, write clear and helpful error messages that offer guidance, and generally aim for a positive tone (while keeping in mind the overall brand voice).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take inspiration from the popular communication platform Slack. To guide you through the process of creating a Slack workspace, form sections and labels are framed as questions. The user instantly understands what\u2019s required of them and when ensuring a straightforward experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11772 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-23.59.59.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Slack platform\" width=\"533\" height=\"325\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11773\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-01-at-00.01.55.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Slack platform\" width=\"547\" height=\"712\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For further tips, check out these <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-writing-guidelines-for-content\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 UX writing guidelines to optimise your web content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>6. Provide additional instructions and guidance where necessary<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there\u2019s any potential for ambiguity or confusion within your form, provide additional tips or instructions that can guide the user.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If certain fields require a specific format \u2014 such as a date, phone number, or credit card number \u2014 provide inline guidance (i.e. hints and tips within the form field itself) that clearly states how the information should be entered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might use placeholder text, info icons that reveal further instructions when the user hovers over them, or hints directly beneath the relevant input field.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When creating a LinkedIn account, for example, you\u2019re informed that your password must contain at least six characters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11774 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-01-at-00.02.59.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of LinkedIn account set up form\" width=\"644\" height=\"618\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When signing up for Nike Run Club, the form offers additional guidance to specify which data components should go where \u2014 like this example where the user can enter their date of birth:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11775\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Screenshot-2025-03-01-at-00.04.46.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the Nike&#039;s website account set form\" width=\"627\" height=\"522\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h3><strong>7. Provide feedback and confirmation<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feedback is a fundamental <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-ui-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> principle. And, in the context of form design, feedback is especially important for reducing errors, enhancing usability, and providing the user with clarity and reassurance throughout.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine spending five minutes filling out a form \u2014 with no idea whatsoever whether your inputs are correct and \/ or successful. That\u2019s pretty unnerving, and could lead you to give up and go elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why feedback and confirmation are necessary. When designing forms, integrate immediate feedback for user actions \u2014 such as highlighting successfully completed fields, for example, or providing error icons and messages for incorrect or incomplete entries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re designing a longer, more complex form, you might also include a progress bar. This shows the user exactly where they are in the process, reassuring them that they\u2019re making headway.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Tell the user what happens next\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every form serves a purpose, whether that\u2019s helping a customer make a purchase, signing up for a service, applying for a job, or reaching out for support. When designing forms, it\u2019s important to think about what happens next in the user journey \u2014 and to communicate that clearly to the user.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Craft a message to confirm that the form has been submitted successfully (e.g. \u201cThank you!\u201d or \u201cWe\u2019ve got your order!\u201d) and explain what happens next.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the user has signed up for a service, for example, you might inform them that they\u2019ll receive a confirmation email with an account activation link. If they\u2019ve submitted a request for support, you might let them know that a customer service rep will contact them via email in the next 24 hours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This helps to set clear expectations, provide reassurance, and guide the user to the next step(s) in their journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>9. Don\u2019t reinvent the wheel<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last but not least: don\u2019t try to reinvent the wheel. Form design is not the time to be overly creative or experiment with novel approaches and layouts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simplicity, usability, and functionality are key, and that\u2019s best achieved through familiar design patterns and practices. Your ultimate goal is to help the user complete their task, so stick to established design conventions that feel comfortable and intuitive for the user.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bear the fundamental principles of form design in mind, follow the steps we\u2019ve laid out in our guide, and take inspiration from existing form designs around the web. This will enable you to meet your users\u2019 expectations, align with their mental models, and design forms that get the job done.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Key takeaways and next steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Form design is an essential part of creating user-friendly products and providing a positive user experience. Every form serves a purpose, helping the user to complete a specific task and engage seamlessly with the product or service. This is crucial for building trust, driving conversions and revenue, and ultimately establishing a successful brand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019re happy with your form design, make sure you test it before going live. Run through the form from start to finish, ensuring every step is clear and logical, and check that the necessary actions are triggered when you hit \u2018Submit\u2019 \u2014 be that receiving a confirmation email or redirecting the user to another page.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can always <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/benefits-of-a-b-testing\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A\/B test<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> different versions of your form, too, to see what kind of messaging, hierarchy, and sequencing performs best with your target audience. Like most things in UI design, form design should be an iterative process with continuous testing and improvement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Learn more about UI design\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Form design is just one aspect of the broad and varied field that is UI design. For a more comprehensive UI education, check out the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ui-design\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professional Certificate in UI Design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offered by the UX Design Institute and credit-rated by Glasgow Caledonian University.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With 3 hours of study over the course of 12 weeks, you\u2019ll learn how to create pixel-perfect digital interfaces \u2014 covering everything from layout, design principles, and interactivity, through to presenting your designs and building your professional <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ui-design-portfolio-tips\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UI design portfolio<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want more practical tips and guides to help you level up your UI skills? Continue with the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ui-design-dos-and-donts\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8 UI design dos and don\u2019ts (with examples)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/midjourney-ai-in-ui-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to use Midjourney AI in UI design<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/designing-for-mobile-best-practices\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designing for mobile: 5 best practices for UI designers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Master the art of form design with this practical guide, including best practices and examples from around the web.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":11777,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[279],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ux-explained"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11764"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11784,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11764\/revisions\/11784"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11777"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}