Tania,

I recently had a discussion with my senior IA about reset/clear form
buttons, and i was arguing to get rid of them for the exact reason you cite.
I found some web resources to support my claim :) Maybe these will help you
feel you aren't the only one... all of the articles below mention that the
reset button is unnecessary and deleterious (although it is a traditional
element and some less-savvy users feel they are ensuring that their data is
definitely not submitted if they clear it, once they decide to abandon the
form...)

http://www.usabilitynews.com/news/article1944.asp

http://www.7nights.com/dkrprod/gwt_four.php

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/article.asp?p=170288&seqNum=9

(the links above came from:
http://deyalexander.com/resources/form-design.html )

-- Matthew

==================
Information Architect
JWT Digital
Detroit, Michigan


On 10/5/05, Tania Lang <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I vent in the vain hope that others will be convinced of the need to get
> rid of Reset buttons. This probably should be in a blog somewhere but I
> am hoping people will read this and make them think (if you still
> believe in Reset buttons).
>
> Tonight I was booking a flight for an interstate business trip. During
> my booking the airline (Qantas) kindly offered me new functionality
> which was the ability to view and record your history of flights booked
> by your business. I thought this would be handy as I am always looking
> for the tax invoices for flights at tax time and having to go back to my
> emails to find and print them off.
>
> And so, I clicked on the register link which opened a new window (half
> way through my flight booking session). As I was midway through another
> task, I quickly filled out the form and clicked on the first button I
> saw without reading the wording.........
>
>
> Reset
>
>
> I hadn't even removed my finger from the left click button before I
> realised but it was too late. I tried in vain to quickly click on
> Submit but the damage was done. I went back a page and was presented
> with a blank form. I was so annoyed and didn't want to lose my flight
> reservation so I aborted the process.
>
> Yes I may be a user of one but Qantas just lost the ability to direct
> market to my business and track my booking behaviour and I will keep
> getting my tax invoices from my old emails.
>
> Frustrated and hoping that other designers learn from this. I may be
> the only one out there who does this but I doubt it.
>
> cheers
> Tania Lang
> Peak Usability
> Brisbane, Australia
>
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