Unobtrusive registration forms

Caroline Jarrett’s article Registration Forms - what to do if you can’t avoid Them lists some sensible rules to follow when you simply cannot avoid requiring users to fill in a registration form in order to access something you are offering:

  • Explain why you’re asking
  • Make sure you offer something that users want
  • Offer a pre-registration sample
  • Fewer questions = better
  • Less invasive questions = better
  • Ask once only

A few years ago I got so fed up with filling in registration forms for all sorts of ridiculous reasons that I started entering false information just to get past the forms. These days I use BugMeNot a lot. Unless entering my personal details into a registration form will grant me access to something that’s very valuable or interesting to me, forget it.

Posted on September 29, 2005 in Quicklinks, Usability

Comments

  1. September 29, 2005 by Anonymous

    Yeah, right on brutha! ;-)

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