It is critical to follow best practices for application forms, in addition to excellent practices for online forms. This will allow you to simplify the application process while decreasing applicant mistakes. It will also boost your chances of locating the right individuals. The following are the recommended practices for developing application forms:
A) “One thing per page” approach
Dividing long and complex application forms, such as those used in FinTech (e.g., insurance or loan application forms), into numerous smaller portions is a typical approach to lowering the user's cognitive burden.
One thing per page
Presenting smaller, semantically matched pieces aids the user band database in maintaining a focus on a single job and the chunk of information requested. We may keep the user continually updated about their place inside the application flow by presenting the form as a multi-step procedure. They can also simply swap between phases if necessary.
The "one thing per page" method significantly simplifies error correction as compared to accordion panels, for example. Accordion panels have their uses, but when you start scrolling through them looking for errors, they may become distracting.
B) Optimizing Application Form Labels
A label is a word or phrase displayed above or next to a form field that informs the form user of its function. You may make these labels more effective by keeping them brief and to the point.
C) Minimizing Dropdowns
The dropdown should be used as a UI element when there are more than 5 things to pick from at some point in the form, according to the general rule. Otherwise, radio buttons or segmented controls can easily substitute dropdowns. Presenting all available options to the user without concealing them in a dropdown improves scannable, which has a significant influence on user performance and efficiency.