Make form progress match the questions patients actually see

What to change

Ask the supplier to describe progress in a way that stays accurate when an earlier answer adds or removes steps from the form.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A request journey identifies Contact details as the current section. If additional questions become necessary, the section list updates before the visitor enters them.

Healthcare website design showing connected desktop and mobile service and enquiry layouts. — Make the service and next step clear on every screen.

Healthcare website accessibility illustrated by a focus outline, keyboard key, contrast samples and form. — Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.

Why this matters to your practice

Progress information helps visitors decide whether they have time to finish. It loses its value if the promised final step keeps moving away. A simple list of named sections can be clearer than a precise percentage for a form that changes according to answers. Ask your supplier to show the shortest and longest journeys before agreeing the design. Judge it from the visitor's perspective: do they understand where they are, what remains, and why additional questions have appeared?

How to check the result

Accept when each route has an honest current position and visitors can distinguish completed, current and remaining sections.

A mistake to avoid

A precise percentage can be misleading when branching questions make the amount of remaining work unknown.

Turn reading into a next step

Your action checklist

Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.

Checks to discussMap the shortest and longest paths through the form. Check the visible progress indicator at every transition, including optional and conditional sections.Navigate backwards and change the answer that alters the route. Ask the supplier to show how progress updates without falsely marking unvisited questions complete.Ask your supplier to demonstrate this check with you: use a screen reader (software that reads the page aloud) to inspect the current step and any step navigation. The active position should be distinguishable without relying only on colour.

Your answers and notes

Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.

What happens next, and who will do it?

Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.

Related guides

Need help with this?

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