Single Intake Form Phase 1 - Options

Current Form Status

Below is the single intake form being built in Formcrafts. The form is logically divided into two parts:

1. Navigation Section: The top section of the form where users are guided through a dynamic, 3 to 4-step request type selection path using visual icons and “smart logic.” Options in the next questions are automatically filtered based on selections in previous questions, ensuring that users only see what is relevant to their specific request.
2. Details Section: Once the request type has been identified, the single unified form asks for only the essential details agents need to process the request. This conditional approach eliminates clutter while ensuring all mandatory info is captured for a one-touch resolution. Further, these are simple questions, which should not take long to answer.

User Experience Optimisation

The Single Unified Form being developed still has room for improvement. It requires requesters to understand specific terminology, and selecting the right options may take time to understand before they can submit their request. To improve submission speed and confidence for Sales & Revenue teams, we are simplifying the Navigation section. Below are the focus areas for improvement:

• Plain Language: Translating technical jargon into business-friendly terms that everyone understands.
• Guided Action Cards: Introduce top-level “Action Cards” to immediately orient users and pre-filter subsequent choices.
• Flattened Hierarchy: Remove one categorisation level, reducing complexity and accelerating the path to submission.
• Visual Clarity: Replacing icons with more recognisable, intuitive imagery.

Stakeholder Validation: These refinements will be vetted by cross-functional teams to ensure they meet diverse user needs before implementing in Formcrafts.

Below are the options for cross-functional feedback and stakeholder validation.

Option 1

This layout prioritises intuitive navigation and terminology tailored specifically for Sales and Revenue teams.

• Resonant Action Cards (Level 1): Utilises high-level actions like “New Business & Contracts” for instant recognition and alignment with daily sales/operational activities.
• Simplified Topic Selection (Level 2): Replaces technical jargon with plain-language “Topic Cards” to reduce cognitive load and decision friction.
• Contextual Precision (Level 3): A smart dropdown that dynamically filters to show only the options relevant to previous selections, ensuring a fast, error-free finish.

Benefits of Option 1

• Instant Recognition: Level 1 “Action Cards” use familiar terms like “New Business & Contracts” so sales reps can identify their path immediately without navigating technical jargon.
• Reduced Cognitive Load: Level 2 cards filter out irrelevant topics based on the initial selection, making the decision process faster and less overwhelming.
• Precision and Clarity: Level 3 provides a short, specific dropdown menu that only displays options relevant to the previous choices, ensuring users find the exact issue quickly.
• Automated Accuracy: Behind-the-scenes routing logic ensures that once a selection is made, the request is automatically directed to the correct department (e.g., Finance, Vendor Management, or Legal).

Option 2

Concept: Instead of showing all 10 icons immediately, the first screen asks the user “Which hat are you wearing?” This isolates Sales users from other HR users immediately.

Best for: Maximising speed for Revenue/Sales teams (Objective: 50% faster).

Why Option 2 Works

1. It matches how users think, not how systems think. Users start with intent (“What am I trying to do?”), not taxonomy. “Commercial & Growth” vs “Internal Ops & People” is a role-based mental shortcut that reduces hesitation and second-guessing at the very first step.
2. Expectations are set before commitment. Showing examples under the high-level tiles (“Deal Desk Pricing, New Country Requests…”) tells users what they’ll get next.
3. It decouples UX from backend complexity. Legal, Deal Desk, Expert Calls, and Country Requests all look “simple” to the user. Internally, they can route to wildly different workflows.
4. It reduces internal support noise. Fewer “wrong form” submissions and better-quality intake data because users self-select more accurately.

Risks

1. Risk of overconfidence at Level 1
2. Preview text can age quickly
3. Visual density can grow fast

Archived Option

This layout focuses on speed and flexibility, combining visual categories with a search-driven final step.

• Sales-Centric Entry (Level 1): Utilizes intuitive “Action Cards” like New Business & Contracts to immediately align with Sales and Revenue workflows.
• Dynamic Topic Filtering (Level 2): A responsive dropdown menu that automatically streamlines choices based on the initial Action Card selected.
• Smart Search Selection (Level 3): Replaces rigid lists with a searchable dropdown. Requesters can simply type keywords to instantly locate their specific request, bypassing the need to browse.

Benefits of the Archived Approach

• Reduced Friction: Users find what they need in fewer clicks by searching directly at the final stage.
• Scalability: Easily accommodates a large volume of request types without cluttering the UI.
• User Confidence: Familiar search functionality empowers users to self-identify their request type quickly.

Future Phase: Smart Category Ranking

Once a primary design is selected, we can further optimise the form using Usage-Based Sorting. By promoting the most popular categories to the top or hiding infrequent ones under a “See More” toggle, we can create a cleaner, faster experience for requesters.

Additionally, we will work with the Enablement Team to host training sessions, ensuring users understand the new layout and have a platform to provide ongoing feedback.

Notes

• Terminology & UX: Further simplify technical jargon into “Action Cards” using plain business language to reduce cognitive load for Sales/Revenue teams.
• Technical Feasibility: Confirm if the current tech stack (Formcrafts) supports “Smart Search” and dynamic filtering functionality required for Option 2.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Conduct a formal review with cross-functional leads (Sales, Finance, Legal) to sign off on the selected option before building the final version.
• Enablement & Feedback: Work with the Enablement Team to create a rollout plan, including training sessions and a feedback loop for future optimisations.