Page simplicity has several important benefits: Wizards Show Less Information on the Pageīecause wizards split a complex process into multiple steps, often wizard pages are simpler - they contain fewer fields and overall less information. : Create-an-account form dynamically displays inline error messages and field explanations. Technically, this page is a form and not a wizard - the steps of the process are not modified by the actions taken by the user, although the form does give dynamic feedback to users as they fill in the different form fields.
The Microsoft page below also changes the information displayed on the screen as the user enters information - but, in this example, the fields stay the same, while inline error messages or explanations appear as the user progresses.
This branching makes the page closer to a wizard than to a form. : The page for opening a Roth IRA account (top) dynamically adds different fields to the form, depending on whether the user is an existing Fidelity customer (middle) or not (bottom). Is this a form or a wizard? According to our definition, it’s a wizard. For example, the Fidelity page below asks users whether they are current Fidelity customers, and, depending on their answer, shows on the same page either login fields or name and email information. With the prevalence of AJAX technologies, the distinction between form and wizard has become fuzzier. Turbotax: The form (left) is a close replica of the paper tax form, but can be filled in digitally, while the wizard (right) takes users step by step through the process of filling taxes. Wizards allow the computer to control the flow of the dialogue, but this limitation of users’ freedom can be liberating in cases where people don’t care about their choices or don’t know enough to make a decision. Usually, people feel better when they are in control, but having too much freedom might get the user into trouble and will often cause them to waste time. Wizards thus often have some branching logic behind the scenes, but the perceived user experience is that of a linear flow: one screen after another, and all the user has to do is to click “next.” (Or “back,” or “cancel,” but mainly the user keeps moving forward.)Ī classic dilemma in user interface design is whether to allocate control to the user or to the computer. One wizard page typically corresponds to a single step in a multistep process.Īs the user enters information, the system computes the appropriate path for that user and routes her accordingly. Wizards usually involve multiple pages and are often (but not obligatorily) displayed in modal windows. The wizard is a minapplication that takes the user through a sequence of forms.ĭefinition: A wizard is a step-by-step process that allows users to input information in a prescribed order and in which subsequent steps may depend on information entered in previous ones. The electronic form is a direct descendant of the paper form: a page with empty fields that the user needs to fill in. When it comes to inputting data, the two most common patterns used on the web and in applications are forms and wizards.