Web Form Length Question / Opinions

[theknight571]

We're in the process of converting some of our paper forms to a web application and a couple of us were going back and forth about how to display the longer ones. So I'm looking for opinions on how best to display longer forms on the web.

Is one long page good, no matter how much scrolling is needed or is it better to split it into several, single screen, forms with a "Step 1 of X" and Next/Previous buttons?

 

[KB]

I believe its better to break it into pages/sections. When filling out web forms nothing is more annoying than completing one large form and then finding there is a bug in the form or the server crashed and you lost everything.

Second if the form takes so long to enter its possible the users authentication token could expire and they could be "disconnected" before they complete the form.

 

[purbeast0]

I personally would go with one long form instead of splitting it up. There is no wrong/right way to do it. I just personally hate when I'm filling out forms and they seem to never end with next pages. I've not applied to jobs multiple times for this reason when you basically have to give a life back story and create an "account" on their site just to submit for a job.

When it's just one form too you don't have to worry about the user pressing the back button and having to repopulate data in the form, so I think programatically one form is easier to maintain and handle as well.

That said, I'm not sure if "long" to you means like 3-4 "pages" or 100 pages. If it's 100 I'd split it up. And if you do split it up, don't make it too small on each page with like 5 items and turn it into a ton of pages. The tax software I have used is pretty annoying where it just seems to never end and it seems like they are purposefully trying to keep their pages small with few items, but to me it's just annoying to have to click more and go to multiple pages.

 

[purbeast0]

I believe its better to break it into pages/sections. When filling out web forms nothing is more annoying than completing one large form and then finding there is a bug in the form or the server crashed and you lost everything.

Second if the form takes so long to enter its possible the users authentication token could expire and they could be "disconnected" before they complete the form.

The first thing happening doesn't really matter whether it is 1 page or 100 pages though. And if a form is so long that a token may expire while a user is filling it out, then you are probably asking for way too much information lol.

 

[theknight571]

The longest of the forms we are working with at this point is 2-3 printed pages.

My initial mock-up has it broken into 6 pages with data grouped logically. Each page shows a progress bar and shows Step X of 6.

Since it's just a mock-up, perhaps I'll also combine it all into a single form and see what it feels like.

 

[purbeast0]

The longest of the forms we are working with at this point is 2-3 printed pages.

My initial mock-up has it broken into 6 pages with data grouped logically. Each page shows a progress bar and shows Step X of 6.

Since it's just a mock-up, perhaps I'll also combine it all into a single form and see what it feels like.

I guess it just depends how much stuff is on each page.

But I've seen some Survey Monkey surveys where a page will have like 2 questions, then you go to the next page, and it has 3. Then the next one has 4.

Why not just make it one page with 9 items? It's easier/more convenient IMO than going through pages.

One thing to think about though too is if this is going to be on mobile as well. That changes stuff too because scrolling 2-3 printed pages on a phone is a lot more tedious than it is on a PC.

There are pros/cons to each way with neither of them being wrong/right.

 

[ringtail]

3 POINTS:

1) The "LONG SCROLL" is back.

Like the beginning days of Netscape/Neoplanet/Firefox and psst pfft pewiew (I'm about to say a bad word) IE, what's CURRENTLY happening in web design is the LONG SCROLL. The current design trend is away from using many linked pages. DO long scroll. DON'T many linked pages. Linked pages design is, for current fadtrend, DEAD - OLD HAT - WRONG.

2) Also, FLAT design choices are presently preferred for all graphics choices. Never shadowed, 3D, etc. Go for FLAT.

3) Also, MINIMILASTIC. CLean, no embellishments.

That's the latest, most up to date happening trend NOW Jan 2017. Maybe all different Feb?