---

Better data quality from your web form

Effective international name and address Internet data collection

by Graham Rhind

FREE to download and use

---

Web forms are a source of immense and continuous frustration for many people as the forms almost universally fail to take any account of variations in personal name and addressing conventions used throughout the world, so that customers have to struggle to clear the hurdles placed in their way by the forms.  Reports suggest that almost 9 out of 10 customers have problems when attempting to carry out online transactions, and the result is a huge loss of income from lost custom paired with the collection of very poor quality data.

 

This e-book (in Acrobat pdf format), which is free to download and use, attempts to fill the gap left by most works about usability by concentrating on the experience that your international customers have with your form, and how it affects them, their relationship with you and your data quality. 

 

This has been done using many examples and without going into too much depth about the idiosyncrasies of international personal names and addresses, and avoids technical discussions – links to get more information are provided where appropriate in the text. 

 

---

Contents list:

 

• Author's note, acknowledgements and disclaimer
• About the author
• A state of denial and beyond frustration
• The solution
• Data quality and your form
• Knowledge
• Data storage
• Personal names
• Mailing address or street address?
• Dynamic data collection forms
• Data validation
• Rapid addressing
• Multilingual or unilingual?  Languages
• Clarity
• Element layout and tab order
• Required fields
• Drop downs and other multiple-choice form elements
• Move the onus of formatting from your customer to your form: avoid overtaxing your customers
• Feedback - holding a dialogue with your customer
• Check your spelling!
• Test the form!
• An example
• The dynamic world - maintenance
• Dos and don'ts in your web form - a checklist
• Do
• Don't

---

 

Current edition: Second release, August 2009.

 

Download here

---

Here are what readers and reviewers have said about this book so far:

 

• "Loved the white paper.  It's a hidden gem!" Jessica Enders

• "Graham Rhind has written an excellent eBook on form design, more specifically internet forms. His treatment of, in particular, name and address data is simply outstanding." Tom Breur, quoted from here

• “Enough is enough, as consumers we’re tired of cumbersome online forms that only add frustration to our daily lives and detract from the internet experience. Poorly designed web forms result in a steady flow of dirty data throughout the enterprise leading to continuous rework and an over reliance on technology and manual labour to clean up the mess. In this comprehensive guide, Graham Rhind provides a thorough overview of the do’s and don’ts of effective web form design. An essential read for anyone committed to improving customer service, reducing operational costs and raising the quality of information in their business.” Dylan Jones, Founder/Editor: Data Quality Pro
• "A fantastic contribution. Great to have the download available. Many thanks!" Pieter Stroop, DM Interface
• "Thanks.  Great idea. Super subject. It's funny how simple things are repeated over and over with little regard for the big picture." Stephen Shooster, Global Response Corporation
• "Graham has, in this ebook, done a wonderful job describing the problems faced with poor web form design.", Karen Lopez, SmartDataCollective
• "Excellent resource", Daragh O Brien
• "Graham Rhind's free ebook Better data quality from your web form is a thorough and thoughtful discussion of all the issues that you need to think about when getting names and addresses from an international audience.", Caroline Jarrett, Forms That Work

 

Would you like to provide feedback or do you have any questions?  If so, contact us on

 

---

GRC Database Information

Nieuwe Prinsengracht 80-hs

1018 VV AMSTERDAM

The Netherlands

---