Identify strategies you used for creating your form – explain why you chose the strategy to create the form – will be verified on integrated concepts – explain why you created it the way you did
The first approaching in creating the form was to study the information needed to make the appropriate form and the competition. You want to compare other sites’ form that may relate to what you’ll be trying to accomplish. I compared 3 schools and with the research created a conventions survey to see how all 3 sites would compare to each other and what form/approached was used. This helped me make better choices in planning the form to fit the needs of the viewer and the school.
I then reviewed and organized the data and began strategizing design and layout. My goals for the form was for it to be simple, straight forward, self explanatory, easy to understand and read, easy for the viewer to change data in the form prior to submitting, consistent and with minimal distractions. I also wanted the form to be friendly in someway. I started grouping the information into close relationships. One requirement was I was used to all the information in a provided document and apply them to the form.
I felt grouping the application process requirements and any part of the content that was more for information than really apart of the application itself, belonged together and belonged in the beginning prior to filling out the form. This allows for the user to have all the information the application is requiring beforehand and for them to be able to make an informed decision if they qualify to apply now or must wait, thus not wasting the applicant’s time. It allows the applicant time to be prepared with correct documentation needed to apply. Organizing in groups also helps make the form easier to read and understand.
Multiple web pages was chosen because of large amount of information, like essay questions, helps keep it organized and less overwhelming.
I strived to keep the form simple, aligned and contained while still within a close proximity of the progress indicators. This helps to convey to the user where they are at in the form to completion and to keep from breaking out of the natural flow movement of reading from left to right. This prevents disruption, allowing the user to stay on task and move forward without any confusion.
I decided to offer up the courses for the academic page altogether so that the user can scroll through the different courses and not have to click through drop down list only to forget what they may have in mind previously. I don’t know how many times I had reviewed school sites only to run into course listings in a drop down format. I would find one that might suit what I wanted, but I still wanted to review the rest and ended up having to dig through several links or pages! As a high school student, he/she may have not made his mind up yet exactly what he wants. Having the page set up this way he can easily scroll up and down without having to click a ton of places feeling like he’s on a egg hunt.
The style of the site was kept simple and colors not to bright or annoying. It let’s the users know where they are, what is coming up next, but also what they’ve already finished. The site is simple enough that coming back later you can add logos and colors to match the theme with some minor styling adjustments.
