SmartFormBoard
Guide

Building Accessible Forms

Accessibility is not an afterthought; it is a prerequisite for valid data collection.

If your form is not accessible, your data is biased. You are systematically excluding a demographic from your research. SmartFormBoard generates forms that are WCAG AA compliant by default, but how you write the questions still matters.

1. Explicit Labels

Never rely on placeholder text as a label. Placeholder text disappears when the user starts typing, forcing them to rely on short-term memory to remember what the field was for. Always use persistent, visible <label> elements.

2. Grouping Related Inputs

For radio buttons or checkboxes (like a multi-select question), always group them using a <fieldset> and describe the group using a <legend>. This provides context to screen readers.

<fieldset> <legend>Which features do you use daily?</legend> <label><input type="checkbox" name="f1"> Dashboard</label> <label><input type="checkbox" name="f2"> Reports</label> </fieldset>

3. Avoid Multi-Column Layouts

Forms should generally flow in a single vertical column. Multi-column layouts confuse the tab order and make it difficult for users with cognitive disabilities or users on mobile devices to predict the flow of the form.

Accessibility Tools