[BNM] Radio button advice

[Alastair James]

Hmmm... For my two cents:
I dont think reset buttons are that user friendly. Considering very few
sites actually use them, I should imagine that most users have never seen
one are are not familiar with its functionality. If I were not familiar with
the button, I may not be able to understand its meaning from 'reset form' or
whatever so probably would not use it. Also, what if there are these 3 radio
groups and a bunch of text fields. Clicking reset would clear the text
fields as well. Talk about pissing users off.


By far the best way to do this is to have a 'not specified' option for each
radio group that is initially selected. Its obvious and does not require any
understanding of a function thats not common (reset) and does not require
extra work if I do want to go back on my choice.

Also (this is a big one). Having two radio buttons for each group suggests
to the user that they HAVE TO answer each group. Although the form would not
throw an error if they leave one (as we allow unspecified), they might think
that they have to select as the option is there. If you want to communicate
that they CAN leave each group unspecified, the third option does this
nicely.

Al

On 01/04/2008, Alfonso Comitini <comitinia at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Hi Robert
>
> if you haven't solved your radio buttons dilemma, try this link:
>
>   http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20040927.html
>
> Hope it helps,
> Alfonso
>
> --------------------------------
> www.use8.net
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Robert Douglas <rob at anucreative.com>
> To: Brighton New Media <bnmlist at brightonnewmedia.org>
> Sent: Monday, 31 March, 2008 6:59:21 AM
> Subject: [BNM] Radio button advice
>
> So we've got an email form with three questions answerable by radio
> buttons.
> Thing is we want to give these radio buttons special behaviour:
> 1. We don't want to sway people's answers by defaulting any.
> 2. We want people to be able to not answer at all.
> 3. We don't want to complicate the form by adding unnecessary
> words/options
>
> As an (purely fictitious) example:
> I am .happy .sad
> I am .rich .poor
> I am .human .animal
>
> Two possible options/scenarios we're thinking are:
> 1. Nothing selected; User selects radio button; User changes mind and can
> then unselect radio button (this would be done using javascript)
> 2. Add another option to each question: .I don't want to answer this
> question
>
> Now, just how wrong are these options (purist vs pragmatist)?
>
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-- 
Dr Alastair James
CTO, Purple Sage Ltd & James Publishing Ltd.
Work: www.worldreviewer.com
Blog: onewheeledbicycle.com