To keep forms simple, use pre-designed form templates

A clean and simple contact form is the best kind of form.

June 12, 2023

A clean and simple contact form is the best kind of form. It gets the job done quickly, easily, and without complications. Unfortunately, many forms are less effective at getting people to respond. By asking for too much information or making the form too long, you’re more likely to be left with abandoned forms. After all, it only takes a few extra clicks to get to another page of your site.

Developing forms can be time-consuming. There are so many things to consider to make sure you’re collecting the right data. Luckily, there are form providers that offer flexible options that allow you to create beautiful forms in just minutes to collect data.

These form templates ensure that your forms collect data without unnecessary distractions.

According to US Web Design Systems, the General accessibility guidance for forms are as follows:

Customize accessibly. As you customize these templates, make sure they meet the accessibility guidelines in this introduction and as described for each control.
Don’t control element order with CSS. Display form controls in the same order in HTML as they appear on screen. Don’t use CSS to rearrange the form controls. Screen readers narrate forms in the order they appear in the HTML.
Align validation with inputs. Visually align validation messages with the input fields, so people using screen magnifiers can read them quickly.
Use proper markup. Group each set of thematically related controls in a fieldset element. Use the legend element to offer a label within each one. The fieldset and legend elements make it easier for screen reader users to navigate the form.
Use legends. Use a single legend for fieldset (this is required). One example of a common use of fieldset and legend is a question with radio button options for answers. The question text and radio buttons are wrapped in a fieldset, with the question itself being inside the legend tag.
Embed multiple fieldsets and legends for more complex forms.
Use simple vertical layouts. Keep your form blocks in a vertical pattern. This approach is ideal, from an accessibility standpoint, because of limited vision that makes it hard to scan from right to left.