• Simplify: a good form should reduce the amount of writing needed in order to communicate information needed routinely.
• Clarity: a good form reminds you of the information needed so that communication is clear and concise.
• Uniformity: a good form allows information to be collected in a uniform way so that it can be used easily by those who need the information.
• Reference: forms allow the users to keep the information in a way that can be referred back to; this is helpful for both users.
• Convenient: forms need to be accessible quickly or they won’t be used. Convenience can be created electronically or on paper.

Closing Thoughts

• Forms are like going to the dentist–a necessary task that shouldn’t hurt but isn’t fun. When you finish you wonder why you dreaded it; putting it off usually makes it worse. Not using forms doesn’t always hurt the one who is providing the information directly but will often hurt indirectly.
• 4 C’s of good forms: Clear, Concise, Clever, and Cooperative
  Clarity in layout requires the collector of information to consider the contributor.
  Concise doesn’t necessarily mean shorter forms. Sometimes two questions are more concise than one long question.
  Clever forms make the sequence easy and intuitive for the user. This requires the collector of information to understand the contributor.
  Cooperative forms again require the collector of information to walk in the user’s shoes. A cooperative form shouldn’t take special training, should provide definitions, and be bug-free and stable. A digital form should allow you to confirm or modify your submission.