(4) Provide clear instructions on forms.

Applies to:

2.5 Level 2 Item 3.c  (note: this is not a direct hit. If we add the SC about making it possible for AT to access forms, then it would be better match.)

Applicability:

This technique applies to interactive environments where the user is asked to provide information.

Task:

Providing clear instructions on forms

Testable Statement:

When this task is completed the user will be able to easily know how to provide the required information.

Description:

Provide clear guidance on how data in forms should be entered. Here are some scenarios:

• When asking users to provide a phone number, make it clear whether all numbers are to be entered in the same field using dashes as separators or whether the number is broken down into different entry fields such as area code etc.
• If "usernames" require a minimum number of characters, make that known.
• Different parts of the world use different date formats. In Europe, dates are typically written as DD/MM/YYYY (Day, Month, Year) where in the US it is MM/DD/YYYY. If the designer decides not use a drop down menu to enter dates, then they should make it clear what date format is required. (note: we recommend that interaction environments use selectable lists to obtain dates rather than direct input.)
• If there is more than one character set that could be used, make it clear what character set is required. For instance, in Japan it could be the "Katakana" or "Hiragana" character set.

Resources:

HTML Techniques

• 15.1 Explicit form labels
• 15.2 Implicit labels for form controls (deprecated)
• 15.3 Label form controls with the title attribute
• 15.4 Grouping form controls
• 15.5 Grouping options of select elements
• 15.6 Tab order in forms
• 15.7 Text alternatives for submit buttons
• 15.8 Tabular forms

CSS Techniques

• 5.4 Hiding and showing content
• 5.5 Creating Invisible labels for form elements