Thanks Caroline, that's pretty damn comprehensive! 2009/1/12 Caroline Jarrett <caroline.jarr...@effortmark.co.uk>
> Hi, > > Here's what I currently advise as best practice for using postcode lookup > in > the UK: > > 1. Users expect to see this feature. It's ubiquitous. > > 2. Don't force users to 'validate' their address against the postal address > file (PAF). It's quite good, but not without errors e.g. new builds, Post > Office decides to change post codes but the change hasn't propagated yet. > > 3. Start the address process by offering a postcode box with a button > saying > 'Look up address' next to it. > > 4. If the user chooses to press the button, find the appropriate addresses > (this will usually be a list of about 10 items). Let the user choose the > preferred address or 'none of the above'. > > 5. If the user has chosen a preferred address, populate the remaining > address fields according to the chosen address. > > 6. Then let the user edit/enter remaining address fields according to > preference. > > This method: > - allows for errors in the PAF > - allows user preference to override the PAF > - allows users who are speedy typists to ignore the whole PAF and just type > in their address. > > And background: some of the reasons for errors in the PAF: > 1. The main way that the PAF was populated in the first place, and still a > key way of updating it, was for post delivery people to tell their central > office when they noticed changes. This isn't all that reliable. > > 2. The PAF is updated fairly frequently, but not as frequently as the > changes happen. And it takes PAF licensees some time to update their > computer systems with new PAFs because they have to pay more for frequent > updates. When the Royal Mail changed my postcode, it took up to a year for > the changes to filter through to various organisations I dealt with. > > 3. The Royal Mail's view of an address may not align with the user's view > of > that same address. For example, Royal Mail deprecates the use of county, > and > prefers the use of post town instead. But many people find it peculiar to > use a post town especially if that post town happens not to be in the same > county as their address. There are also several towns, and many villages, > that exist in more than one county and despite everything Royal Mail might > claim, you'd still be strongly advised to use the county name as well in > those addresses. > > 4. The Royal Mail's preferred address may not be the same as the best way > of > stating the address for other purposes. For example, my office used to be > above another business, so I used to regularly put 'above XXX' in for > delivery purposes. > > 5. The UK likes to tinker with administrative boundaries and does so > remarkably frequently. Some people prefer to use historic address features > for political or sentimental reasons, e.g. the county of 'Rutland' that > used > to exist, was abolished for a while (but still used in addresses) and was > then reinstated. There is a city in Northern Ireland that can be called > Londonderry or Derry according to your political views. > > Finally (note for non-UK based organisations): > Here in the UK, some parts do have counties; others do not (e.g., London). > So don't 'internationalise' your required 'State' field by making it into a > required 'County' field. > > (Quite a good summary of the administrative changes up to 1999: > http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Regions/UKchanges.html) > > Best > Caroline Jarrett > http://formsthatwork.editme.com > > > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
