Peak Usability Seminar - Increasing form completion and conversion rates by Lyndall Plumb - 6th October, Brisbane, Australia

1. Increasing form completionIncreasing form completion
and conversion ratesand conversion rates
Lyndall PlumbLyndall Plumb

2. Common successes & mistakes
VS

3. Why does it matter?
Don’t drive your
potential
customers to this!

4. Users selectingUsers selecting
or entering dataor entering data
Form elementsForm elements

5. Text boxes
► Generally easy to use but no control over what users type in
► Provide examples to show how the data should be entered
► Provide contextual help next to field labels
► Use client side validation to check for common mistakes
► Try to be flexible regarding how users enter data

6. Cancel / Reset buttons
► Only use ‘clear form’, ‘cancel’ or ‘reset’ buttons if you really need to
► Users generally like a Cancel / Reset button when entering their
details
► Users expected to see these buttons at the top right of a form or
bottom left
► Don’t put cancel/reset buttons at the bottom right of a form
► Use grey shading or red for cancel/reset buttons
X

7. ErrorError
recovery &recovery &
preventionprevention

8. Error recovery
Error messages should:
► be expressed in plain language (no codes)
► precisely indicate the problem
► highlight the fields where there is an error
► constructively suggest a solution
► be given to users as soon as possible

9. Error prevention
► Even better than good error messages is a careful design which
prevents a problem from occurring in the first place
X

10. Error prevention…
► Allow users to type in information as they naturally would.
► Particularly for:
 $ amounts – allow commas, and decimals
 Phone numbers – allow spaces, brackets and dashes, mobile numbers
 Address – don’t split up street number and street name
X
Loan amount:
e.g. 10000
► If you have specific requirements for data entry, make sure you provide an
example of how you want the data entered and put some contextual help next
to the field
?

11. User confidenceUser confidence

12. Would you buyWould you buy
insurance from thisinsurance from this
company?company?
Why? Why not?Why? Why not?

13. Building user confidence
► Good visual design – key indicator of credibility for
users
► Consistent branding and visual design across
applications and website

14. 16
1 2
Different branding & visual design. Different URL.
4
Security
certificate
not issued
to Royal
Pines or
application
host
Aborted
3
Have to enter personal details. Not secure.
Royal Pines example

15. Building user confidence
► Users are still concerned about security
► For transactional websites, include a clear security statement or
image as users are concerned that their details may be “hacked”.
► Many users don’t know about https:// and the padlock icon

16. ► Provide a clear privacy statement
► Users are very protective of their email addresses
Building user confidence

17. Don’t expect too much commitment tooDon’t expect too much commitment too
soon from your users…soon from your users…
……gradually engage them andgradually engage them and
they will give up their informationthey will give up their information

18. What will I getWhat will I get
for giving youfor giving you
my information?my information?
I am not here to
I am not here to
enter into a
enter into a
relationship. I
relationship. I
just want to buy
just want to buy
something.
something.
You are just
You are just
going to use my
going to use my
information to
information to
send me
send me
marketing stuff
marketing stuff
Why doWhy do
you want
you want
to knowto know
that?that?

19. You want to know WHAT?!
► Do you really need them to register up front?
► Do you really need to know EVERYTHING in
the form?
► Do you need to know it at this stage in the
process?
► Less information asked = higher completion rate

20. Progressive disclosure
► Don’t scare away users with long forms with irrelevant
fields
► Show users basic or important fields most frequently used
► Hide fields infrequently used by the majority of users
► Build the form with relevant fields based on data entered
► E.g. Budget Direct Get Quote: www.budgetdirect.com.au

22. Forms designForms design
Some final pointsSome final points

23. Multi page forms
► Provide clear progress indicators.

24. Speed up the process - defaults
► Use the 80/20 rule – set defaults based on what the
majority of your users are selecting
► DO NOT pre-select responses that you wish your users
would select e.g.
 Opting in for marketing offers
 Accepting terms and conditions

25. Avoid jargon
► Use your customers’ language
► Don’t use acronyms
► Provide good inline help as appropriate
► Speak to your call centre staff

26. So is this box ofSo is this box of
forms goodies goingforms goodies going
to fix all your formsto fix all your forms
problems?problems?
NONO
But it will help!But it will help!

27. So whatSo what
else canelse can
you do?you do?

28. Conduct research
to understand:
► Your users
► Their tasks
► Their technology
Keeps the customer involved in the design process
30

29. Users
Context, context, context

30. Conduct usability testing with users
► Find unique problems
with your form or site
► Test with representative
users that reflect your
real users
► Accurate and objective
assessment of your site
– find out specifically
where it is failing?

31. The value of usability testingThe value of usability testing
Our Client - a financial institution - conversion rates after
testing application form & minor site changes – mid 2009
Increased online conversion from 30% to 47% in just 7
weeks by addressing some of the ‘low hanging fruit’ usability
issues we identified in usability testing. Some of the bigger
issues are yet to be addressed.

32. In summary
► Make it easy for users to enter data
 Your problems SHOULD NOT be their problems!
► Make it easy for them to recover if they make an error
► Inspire confidence in your users through great design and quality
control
► KNOW your users – don’t just think about them…