Tell me why I have to use this form

Daniele Catalanotto
Sep 2, 2022


A Service Design Principle to lower frustration through perception.

I have to transmit a document showing that I pay social insurance and that I’m not a dick evading taxes. As I’m on my regional social insurance website, a little message on the top of the form gets my attention. It says:

“Why use this form instead of sending an email to a generic inbox.”

I now understand why it makes sense for the institution and me to use that stupid form. So I have a little bit more patience for this boring admin task.

Some forms or processes might be long because the law requires the service to collect all this information. In such cases, it makes sense to inform people why this form is so long. It doesn’t make the form easier, but it reduces frustration. As you know, it isn’t just stupidity that makes this a bad experience.

So, when you ask people to do a tedious or difficult task, how can you tell them the benefits or reason for doing it this way?

Footnotes

The first draft of this Service Design Principle was adapted into a more understandable English by the lovely Joanna Bienz. Thanks, Joanna!

Daniele’s personal notes

  • This is the second draft of this Service Design Principle.
  • The length of this principle has been reduced by 35% compared to the first draft.
  • Once adapted even more, this principle could be part of the book “Service Design Principles 201-300.”
  • As always, feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.

Like 1
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 22, 2022

The third draft of this Service Design Principle

I have to get a document that shows I'm not a dick evading taxes. A little message on the top of the form I have to fill out says:

"Why use this form instead of sending an email to a generic inbox." It then explains that it's safer and quicker to do it via this form than over email.

I now understand why it makes sense for the institution and me to use that stupid form. So I have a little bit more patience with it.

It's a trick we can use in other situations too. For example, a process or form gets long because the law requires collecting extra information.

When you inform people why this form is so long, people know that it isn't the staff's stupidity that makes this a bad experience. So it reduces frustration.

When people have to do a tedious task, how can you show them the benefits or reason for doing it this way?

Footnotes

The first draft of this Service Design Principle was adapted into a more understandable English by the lovely Joanna Bienz. Thanks, Joanna!

Daniele’s notes

  • This is the third draft of this principle.
  • I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 3 % compared to its previous draft.
  • Added the details of what is explained in the text above the form to make the principle clearer