Use instruction text on the control when space is a concern. Ensure that the instruction text conveys the purpose of the control. For example, 'Search email' in yahoo specifically searches the inbox and not the web . Do not display critical instructions that the user needs to see when using the control.
Using colors may cause some readbility issues for color blind or elderly participant. It should be ok, as long as the content is accessible even when the styles or color is turned off. Let me know your findings regarding the use of color. -Suba On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 10:29 AM, Jayson Elliot <jayson.ell...@gmail.com>wrote: > Does anyone have research to point to regarding the practice of placing > instructional text in a field that is meant for user input? > > For example, on a site like http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ you see "Google > custom search" inside the search field; or http://www.adobe.com/ writes > "Search Adobe.com" inside theirs. > > ________________________________________________________________ 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
