How can you use progressive disclosure to simplify a complex web form?

1 What is progressive disclosure?

Progressive disclosure is a design principle that aims to reduce cognitive load and improve user experience by hiding secondary or advanced information until the user needs it or requests it. Instead of showing everything at once, you can use different methods to reveal more details or options gradually, such as buttons, links, tabs, accordions, sliders, or pop-ups. Progressive disclosure helps users focus on their main task and avoid distractions or confusion.

2 Why use progressive disclosure?

Progressive disclosure can help you simplify your web forms and achieve several benefits, such as increasing completion rates, improving usability, and enhancing aesthetics. By reducing the number of visible fields and questions, users are more likely to fill out the form. Additionally, progressive disclosure allows for smoother navigation through the form, as users only see information relevant to their current step or choice. This can also prevent errors and mistakes. Finally, progressive disclosure enables a clean and consistent layout that reflects your brand image and professionalism. This includes enough white space and contrast to highlight the important elements.

3 How to use progressive disclosure?

Progressive disclosure is not a one-size-fits-all solution; you need to consider your audience, purpose, and content when deciding how to use it. As a general guideline, prioritize the information by determining the primary and secondary data in your form. The primary information is essential and common, while the secondary information is optional or advanced. Then, choose the method to reveal the secondary information based on context and amount of information. For example, you can use a button or link to show more fields or questions, a tab or accordion to show different categories or sections, and a slider or pop-up to show additional details or instructions. Lastly, provide feedback to users when they interact with the form; this can include progress indicators, validation messages, or confirmation screens. This feedback helps users understand what is happening, what is required, and what is completed.

5 Best practices for progressive disclosure

Progressive disclosure can be a powerful tool to simplify your web forms, but you need to use it wisely and carefully. It's essential to make sure users can see important information, such as the total cost, the delivery time, or the cancellation policy. Don't hide too much information or break the user's flow when revealing more information. Instead, use progressive disclosure only when it adds value and improves clarity. It should be consistent and seamless, and support the user's goal and context.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?