Hi, Here's what I currently advise as best practice for using postcode lookup in the UK:
1. Users expect to see this feature. It's ubiquitous. 2. Don't force users to 'validate' their address against the postal address file (PAF). It's quite good, but not without errors e.g. new builds, Post Office decides to change post codes but the change hasn't propagated yet. 3. Start the address process by offering a postcode box with a button saying 'Look up address' next to it. 4. If the user chooses to press the button, find the appropriate addresses (this will usually be a list of about 10 items). Let the user choose the preferred address or 'none of the above'. 5. If the user has chosen a preferred address, populate the remaining address fields according to the chosen address. 6. Then let the user edit/enter remaining address fields according to preference. This method: - allows for errors in the PAF - allows user preference to override the PAF - allows users who are speedy typists to ignore the whole PAF and just type in their address. And background: some of the reasons for errors in the PAF: 1. The main way that the PAF was populated in the first place, and still a key way of updating it, was for post delivery people to tell their central office when they noticed changes. This isn't all that reliable. 2. The PAF is updated fairly frequently, but not as frequently as the changes happen. And it takes PAF licensees some time to update their computer systems with new PAFs because they have to pay more for frequent updates. When the Royal Mail changed my postcode, it took up to a year for the changes to filter through to various organisations I dealt with. 3. The Royal Mail's view of an address may not align with the user's view of that same address. For example, Royal Mail deprecates the use of county, and prefers the use of post town instead. But many people find it peculiar to use a post town especially if that post town happens not to be in the same county as their address. There are also several towns, and many villages, that exist in more than one county and despite everything Royal Mail might claim, you'd still be strongly advised to use the county name as well in those addresses. 4. The Royal Mail's preferred address may not be the same as the best way of stating the address for other purposes. For example, my office used to be above another business, so I used to regularly put 'above XXX' in for delivery purposes. 5. The UK likes to tinker with administrative boundaries and does so remarkably frequently. Some people prefer to use historic address features for political or sentimental reasons, e.g. the county of 'Rutland' that used to exist, was abolished for a while (but still used in addresses) and was then reinstated. There is a city in Northern Ireland that can be called Londonderry or Derry according to your political views. Finally (note for non-UK based organisations): Here in the UK, some parts do have counties; others do not (e.g., London). So don't 'internationalise' your required 'State' field by making it into a required 'County' field. (Quite a good summary of the administrative changes up to 1999: http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Regions/UKchanges.html) Best Caroline Jarrett http://formsthatwork.editme.com ________________________________________________________________ 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
