Comments on: How to indicate required or optional form fields http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/ Instant Usability & Web Standards Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:44:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: UX Designer’s Quick Reference | butlerhouse http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-501321 UX Designer’s Quick Reference | butlerhouse Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:07:11 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-501321 [...] How to Indicate Required or Optional Form Fields – Thomas Watson Steen [...] [...] How to Indicate Required or Optional Form Fields – Thomas Watson Steen [...]

]]> By: jim voorhies http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-488791 jim voorhies Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:03:27 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-488791 We've seen recent studies (CXpartners) that seems to indicate users never look at the standard * indicates required fields text when they're fillling out forms. It's just a form and they fill it out, assuming you only ask for what you need. One thing I've seen that looks like a good option is having the text box initially contain the word Optional in gray if the field is optional. We’ve seen recent studies (CXpartners) that seems to indicate users never look at the standard * indicates required fields text when they’re fillling out forms. It’s just a form and they fill it out, assuming you only ask for what you need. One thing I’ve seen that looks like a good option is having the text box initially contain the word Optional in gray if the field is optional.

]]> By: Patrick http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-423225 Patrick Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:49:57 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-423225 I have to disagree with the ALA article on not using red because of its reserved use for errors. I think that is exactly why it is such an effective color for the required asterisk...it is showing that unless you enter information in this field you will generate an error. (I just looked up and see that Brandon wrote almost the same thing, oh well this is typed already). It is important to note that a red asterisk is an asterisk first and red second....meaning that being colorblind does not prevent you from understanding this message. I have to disagree with the ALA article on not using red because of its reserved use for errors. I think that is exactly why it is such an effective color for the required asterisk…it is showing that unless you enter information in this field you will generate an error. (I just looked up and see that Brandon wrote almost the same thing, oh well this is typed already).

It is important to note that a red asterisk is an asterisk first and red second….meaning that being colorblind does not prevent you from understanding this message.

]]> By: Johnathen http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-398374 Johnathen Mon, 25 Feb 2008 20:30:30 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-398374 Are we usability gurus forgetting that about 15% of the population have some form of colour-blindness and don't see red the way you think? I encourage you to visit http://www.wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html and see just how different red looks to the different forms of colour-blindness. There are also online tools to show you what your images look like to colour-blind people. I strive to design sites that don't rely on colour to relay information to the user. IMHO the site should be equally usable in B&W and with all your CSS stripped away. Although, I mostly design sites used by government agencies and they have strict guidelines for accessibility. Are we usability gurus forgetting that about 15% of the population have some form of colour-blindness and don’t see red the way you think? I encourage you to visit http://www.wellstyled.com/tools/colorscheme2/index-en.html and see just how different red looks to the different forms of colour-blindness. There are also online tools to show you what your images look like to colour-blind people. I strive to design sites that don’t rely on colour to relay information to the user. IMHO the site should be equally usable in B&W and with all your CSS stripped away. Although, I mostly design sites used by government agencies and they have strict guidelines for accessibility.

]]> By: Brandon http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-391342 Brandon Fri, 25 Jan 2008 20:47:41 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-391342 I disagree with the comments regarding not using RED to indicate a required field. IMHO, using RED to indicated a required field is functionally similar to indicating a warning or an error. The fact is, the form is telling the user to "be WARNED" that they MUST provide input in that field or an ERROR will occur; of course the error is usually very mild and would only result in the form not being able to be submitted until completed but it would still be an error. In other words, in this context, the RED text is warning the user that they could generate an error. I disagree with the comments regarding not using RED to indicate a required field. IMHO, using RED to indicated a required field is functionally similar to indicating a warning or an error.

The fact is, the form is telling the user to “be WARNED” that they MUST provide input in that field or an ERROR will occur; of course the error is usually very mild and would only result in the form not being able to be submitted until completed but it would still be an error.

In other words, in this context, the RED text is warning the user that they could generate an error.

]]> By: Opus http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-382034 Opus Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:49:07 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-382034 Using an asterisk is fine for labels in a form. But what about headers in a table? Say you are filling in a table, but not all the columns are necessary. Do you put an asterisk in the required columns’ header? I don’t remember seeing this in any application or website. Should this be done? Thanks. Using an asterisk is fine for labels in a form. But what about headers in a table?

Say you are filling in a table, but not all the columns are necessary. Do you put an asterisk in the required columns’ header?

I don’t remember seeing this in any application or website. Should this be done?

Thanks.

]]> By: rascunho » Blog Archive » links for 2007-12-05 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-380989 rascunho » Blog Archive » links for 2007-12-05 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:41:09 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-380989 [...] justaddwater.dk | How to indicate required or optional form fields I got a question from Kimberly, one of our reader, in the Sensible Forms: A Form Usability Checklist post where she asks where the best place to display the asterisk indicating a required field in af form is: (tags: justaddwater.dk 2007 mes11 dia5 at_tecp usability forms validation required_field form_design blog_post) [...] [...] justaddwater.dk | How to indicate required or optional form fields I got a question from Kimberly, one of our reader, in the Sensible Forms: A Form Usability Checklist post where she asks where the best place to display the asterisk indicating a required field in af form is: (tags: justaddwater.dk 2007 mes11 dia5 at_tecp usability forms validation required_field form_design blog_post) [...]

]]> By: justaddwater.dk | How To Align Labels On Form Fields http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-358553 justaddwater.dk | How To Align Labels On Form Fields Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:29:47 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-358553 [...] How to indicate required or optional form fields [...] [...] How to indicate required or optional form fields [...]

]]> By: SR http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-233851 SR Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:30:52 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-233851 Thanks for this list. I have always hard time designing forms but this article is very useful to sort some of my issues. Thanks for this list. I have always hard time designing forms but this article is very useful to sort some of my issues.

]]> By: Lori http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/comment-page-1/#comment-228910 Lori Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:53:48 +0000 http://justaddwater.dk/2006/03/29/how-to-indicate-required-or-optional-form-fields/#comment-228910 I found this article, and subsequent discussion, to be very helpful -- thanks to all who contributed! I found this article, and subsequent discussion, to be very helpful — thanks to all who contributed!

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