Course Curriculum

6 Sections
00

The Building Blocks of a Good Web Form

3 Lessons 19 min
  • Course Overview & Downloads 4 min
  • The Anatomy of a Web Form 10 min
  • What’s the Difference Between Good and Bad Forms? 5 min

Resources Provided

  • 0.1_CheatSheet_Designing-Web-Forms (PDF)
01

Deciding What to Ask (and What Not to Ask)

3 Lessons 52 min
  • How to Plan a Web Form Project 12 min
  • How to Eliminate Unnecessary Questions 7 min
  • How to Document Form Requirements with the Question Protocol 10 min

Practice Activities

  • Apply the Question Protocol Template (Instructions) 19 min
  • Apply the Question Protocol Template (Walkthrough) 4 min
02

Asking Clean, Clear Form Questions

5 Lessons 70 min
  • How Do Users Interpret Your Form Questions? 10 min
  • Three Rules for Clear Form Copy 7 min
  • Three Ways to Phrase Form Questions 9 min
  • The Memory Matrix: 4 Types of User Data 8 min
  • Why Users Hesitate (and How to Gain Their Trust) 9 min

Practice Activities

  • Put the Form Copy Checklist to Work (Instructions) 18 min
  • Put the Form Copy Checklist to Work (Walkthrough) 9 min

Resources Provided

  • 2.6_Guide_Form-Copy-Checklist (PDF)
03

Web-Form Interaction Design: Controls, Errors, and Support

9 Lessons 81 min
  • When to Reach for the 10 Essential Input Controls 9 min
  • Demo: Choosing Input Controls for a Medical Intake Form with 4 Questions 6 min
  • Seven Common Form Questions and How to Ask Them 12 min
  • Where, How, and When to Show Errors 8 min
  • Beyond the Red Text: How to Prevent Errors 6 min
  • Structure: Grouping, Whitespace, and Layouts 5 min
  • Transparency: Requirements and Progress 3 min
  • Clarity: Labels, Helpers, and Field Width 2 min
  • Support: Constraints and Keyboard Navigation 5 min

Practice Activities

  • Choose the Best Input Controls (Instructions) 19 min
  • Choose the Best Input Controls (Walkthrough) 6 min
04

Designing the Flow through Your Form

4 Lessons 61 min
  • Organizing Form Questions by Difficulty, Importance, or Sensitivity 13 min
  • Adapting to Users with Conditional Logic 7 min
  • Flowcharts: The Best Form Mapping Method 5 min
  • Breaking Forms into Digestible Pieces 11 min

Practice Activities

  • Organize a Therapy Intake Form (Instructions) 17 min
  • Organize a Therapy Intake Form (Walkthrough) 8 min
05

Finalizing, Delivering, and Evaluating Your Forms

4 Lessons 49 min
  • Three Ways to Test Your Forms Before Launch 5 min
  • What to Include in Your Form Spec Handoff 9 min
  • Five Ways to Measure Form Performance 9 min
  • Where to Go From Here 2 min

Practice Activities

  • Auditing Specs for a Simple Form (Instructions) 18 min
  • Auditing Specs for a Simple Form (Walkthrough) 6 min

Learning Outcomes

  • Align stakeholders to prioritize and collect important data
  • Write form copy that’s easy to understand and collects useful responses
  • Select the best input controls and validation patterns to reduce friction and mistakes.
  • Craft a clear form structure using ordering, conditional logic, and progressive disclosure
  • Evaluate form performance through pre-launch testing and behavioral metrics

Course Preview

 to watch NN/g videos

Tools Used in This Course

To complete activities in this course, you will need access to Miro.

All other resources can be accessed through a standard PDF reader.

Turn Problems Into Solutions

Negotiate with stakeholders to reduce unnecessary form fields

  • Trace every field to a named owner with a concrete use case with the Question Protocol
  • Eliminate, Automate, and Simplify (EAS) to surface the most important fields
  • Transform "marketing needs this data" into "who in marketing, and what will they actually do with it?"

Cut abandonment by designing forms people actually complete

  • Write questions that are easy to understand and respond to
  • Pick input controls and validation patterns that prevent common mistakes, and help users recover when they happen
  • Sequence, branch, group, and paginate questions to build momentum from beginning to end

Prove any form's effectiveness and value to the business

  • Test low-fidelity forms early to identify problems before development
  • Diagnose drop-offs using field-level abandonment, time-on-task, and engagement rates
  • Translate form improvements into completion rates, conversions, and revenue

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will I have access to this course?
Once purchased, your access will never expire. This ensures you can learn at your own pace and return to review content as often as you'd like, whenever you need.
Will I get personalized instructor feedback on course activities?
No, personalized feedback is not provided for activities completed during the course. Most courses provide answer keys to activities that help learners reflect on their progress and understanding of course materials and examples.
What content can I download?
You can download a variety of resources provided with each course, including templates, how-to guides, cheat sheets, posters, reading lists, and more. Video lessons provided in all courses will not be available for download.
Can I access this course offline or on a mobile device?
Offline access isn't available yet, although we plan to add it. Most courses offer downloadable resources for offline reference.

For the best experience, mobile devices are not recommended.
Is this course eligible for the NNGroup UX Certification Program?
Unfortunately, self-paced courses do not count toward UX Certification. However, learners who complete the final exam will receive a “Recognition of Completion” to demonstrate their achievement.

See our Live Online courses for options that count toward UX Certification.
What can I share with my employer to show I’ve completed the training?
Upon completing a course’s final assessment, you will receive a “Recognition of Completion” showcasing your dedication to learning the topic. This document can be shared with your employer or professional network to demonstrate your new skills and commitment to professional development.