Title: Exploiting form semantics and validation checks to improve e-form layout

Authors: Costas Vassilakis, George Lepouras, Stathis Rouvas, Panagiotis Georgiadis

Addresses: Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, E-Gov Lab, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784, Athens, Greece. ' Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, E-Gov Lab, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784, Athens, Greece. ' Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, E-Gov Lab, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784, Athens, Greece. ' Department of Informatics and Telecommunications, E-Gov Lab, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784, Athens, Greece

Abstract: On their route to the electronic era, organisations release on the web more and more complex form-based services, which require users to enter numerous data items interrelated by business rules. In such a context, it is crucial to provide optimal form layouts, in order to present the service users with interfaces that facilitate their work. This paper presents an integrated environment, which exploits data item interrelations manifested by the business rules (or validation checks), to optimise the layout of the web forms comprising a complex service. The approach is validated through its application on a tax return form e-service.

Keywords: electronic services; form layout; form semantics; integrated environment; optimisation; usability; validation checks; web services; e-forms; electronic forms; web forms; tax reform forms; e-services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWET.2005.007465

International Journal of Web Engineering and Technology, 2005 Vol.2 No.1, pp.81 - 96

Published online: 22 Jul 2005 *

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