How to design a long list page in Android?

Question

I am designing an Android application for people who haven't used Android before. This application contains a long form that these users should fill out.

What of the following methods is the best way to design this application?

• create one long page with all the fields

• split the form and put the fields in different tabs, so the users need to click each tab to see all the fields

• split the list to an accordion, so the users need to click each row to fill out all the fields

Which one is better as a design perspective? Which one is more user friendly?

Answer 1

I suggest using multiple activities. You could check the form after every activity and make elements bigger which makes your UX better.

This way there could be +/- 5 inputs in one activity. Once done the user could click on a nice big next button. (Since they have never used android before this makes it easier.) The activity then checks the data and if correct opens the next activity.

I suggest that you put a steps indicator at the top of every activity so the user knows where they are and when they are done.

I also suggest that you save the data to shared preferences after every activity so that if the user would exit the app by accident you could open it back up and keep all data.

Answer 2

I would answer with few questios:

• Are all the questions of similar type, or they can be split into few logical groups?
• Is there a checking mechanism in the form and will it be difficult to user to find, where he made a mistake?
• Is it convenient to save part of the form or you always need to have all the fields?

I think generally the long page is the most easiest to use and it can be also inconvenient. With multiple tabs:

• You can guide user with some logical groups of questions
• You can show more easily where he made a mistake
• You can save some partial state of the form more easily

Try to see what is your case and identify if there is a value to have tabs.

Accordions require 1 extra tap and so they add complexity into filling forms. However they can be very eficient, when you have groups of optional fields.