Looking back at it, any answer you uncover is going to be very situation dependent. It probably won't be broadly applicable.
There might be a weak correlation between form fields and completion, but not in the sense that "increasing fields by 'x' will tend to result in 'y' dropoff." You would also have to factor in incentive to complete, difficulty of answering, and so on. My taxes, for example, have a lot of fields and are relatively difficult -- yet have a 100% completion rate*. Conversely, I'll abandon a short form that asks for information that I think they don't need (and my incentive to complete is low). -Todd * Completion rate meaning that I complete all that are relevant to me, not all fields possible. On Fri, Jun 13, 2008 at 6:01 PM, Caroline Jarrett < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > From: "visual hokie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > : Does anyone have (or can point me to) any data, research, or articles > that > : demonstrate the relationship between number of form fields and completion > : rate? > : Thanks! > : > : brian > > Hi Brian > > I don't know of any specific research on this problem in the forms arena. > There is plenty of anecdotal evidence around - just ask > anyone, frankly. > > For example, in a recent thread on this list > http://www.ixda.org/discuss.php?post=27398 "Sign-up experience" there was > some > discussion of the pleasure given by a short, simple sign-up and the > annoyance caused by a very long one. > > But I don't know of much in the way of hard facts. It would be great to > hear of anything published - let's hope someone else on the > list knows. > > The survey methodologists have looked at the problem of lower response > rathers when there are more questions on a questionnaire, a > closely related area. I'm away from my library at the moment but I'm fairly > sure that Dillman would cite the relevant literature. > Most recent edition: > Mail and Internet Surveys: The Tailored Design Method 2007 Update with New > Internet, Visual, and Mixed-Mode Guide (Hardcover) > by Don A. Dillman (Author) > > Another thing to think about (I don't know of the context of your question) > is that although sheer volume of questions is definitely > an issue, the relevance of those questions and the strength of the user's > interest in the topic are very important as well. There > is, believe it or not, such a thing as a form or questionnaire that is too > short - one that fails to ask the questions that the user > considers should be asked in the context of the overall purpose. > > Best, > Caroline > > Caroline Jarrett > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > 07990 570647 > > Effortmark Ltd > Usability - Forms - Content > > We have moved. New address: > 16 Heath Road > Leighton Buzzard > LU7 3A > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
