Caroline Jarrett
@cjforms.bsky.social
Forms and survey specialist.
Always keen to try to answer your questions about making better forms (and if you must, maybe even those about surveys).
Effortmark.co.uk
Always keen to try to answer your questions about making better forms (and if you must, maybe even those about surveys).
Effortmark.co.uk
I’m n today’s episode of #FixTheForms, @adamsilverhq.bsky.social points out some easy-to-avoid forms design fails in Fizzy by 37signals
If I could burn all instances of JIRA and replace them with Fizzy, I would.
Fizzy is a new project management tool designed and built by the legends at 37signals.
They’ve got a lot right here. Everything is chunky, clear, and on brand.
Fizzy is a new project management tool designed and built by the legends at 37signals.
They’ve got a lot right here. Everything is chunky, clear, and on brand.
January 13, 2026 at 1:49 PM
I’m n today’s episode of #FixTheForms, @adamsilverhq.bsky.social points out some easy-to-avoid forms design fails in Fizzy by 37signals
Sadly true. I’m amazed you got anyone to answer before 8am next day.
January 12, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Sadly true. I’m amazed you got anyone to answer before 8am next day.
But we are only allowed to call our surgery now after we’ve filled in a form to request the privilege.
To be fair, they do typically deal with the matters raised in the forms very speedily.
To be fair, they do typically deal with the matters raised in the forms very speedily.
January 12, 2026 at 7:33 PM
But we are only allowed to call our surgery now after we’ve filled in a form to request the privilege.
To be fair, they do typically deal with the matters raised in the forms very speedily.
To be fair, they do typically deal with the matters raised in the forms very speedily.
Did you call very slightly before 8am so that your call got into the queue precisely at 8 after listening to the assorted announcements?
If so, an hour in the queue is high but not unheard of. You may even win an appointment with a GP.
Any other time of day: all bets are off.
If so, an hour in the queue is high but not unheard of. You may even win an appointment with a GP.
Any other time of day: all bets are off.
January 12, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Did you call very slightly before 8am so that your call got into the queue precisely at 8 after listening to the assorted announcements?
If so, an hour in the queue is high but not unheard of. You may even win an appointment with a GP.
Any other time of day: all bets are off.
If so, an hour in the queue is high but not unheard of. You may even win an appointment with a GP.
Any other time of day: all bets are off.
I keep meaning to write a blog post about the Content Fairy and the Content Gnome, neither of which are real.
Now I’m thinking about the very real threat of the Content Zombie.
Now I’m thinking about the very real threat of the Content Zombie.
'living document' implies the existence of 'dead documents ' or, more promisingly, 'zombie' and 'undead' documents 🧟
January 12, 2026 at 11:35 AM
I keep meaning to write a blog post about the Content Fairy and the Content Gnome, neither of which are real.
Now I’m thinking about the very real threat of the Content Zombie.
Now I’m thinking about the very real threat of the Content Zombie.
Reposted by Caroline Jarrett
'living document' implies the existence of 'dead documents ' or, more promisingly, 'zombie' and 'undead' documents 🧟
January 12, 2026 at 10:20 AM
'living document' implies the existence of 'dead documents ' or, more promisingly, 'zombie' and 'undead' documents 🧟
One of the unexpected consequences of the advent of LLMs (also generically called AI) is that they suck up everything.
So zombie documents - that is, published but never accessed by a person nor updated - are suddenly active again, creating ever more misleading results.
So zombie documents - that is, published but never accessed by a person nor updated - are suddenly active again, creating ever more misleading results.
January 12, 2026 at 11:33 AM
One of the unexpected consequences of the advent of LLMs (also generically called AI) is that they suck up everything.
So zombie documents - that is, published but never accessed by a person nor updated - are suddenly active again, creating ever more misleading results.
So zombie documents - that is, published but never accessed by a person nor updated - are suddenly active again, creating ever more misleading results.
Further update on the Companies House episode of #FixTheForms
The statement that I didn’t know I had filed has been rejected as a duplicate.
I don’t know what this means and there is no further information or any link to any help.
I suspect that it means I tried to do the task too early.
The statement that I didn’t know I had filed has been rejected as a duplicate.
I don’t know what this means and there is no further information or any link to any help.
I suspect that it means I tried to do the task too early.
Update on today's episode of #FixTheForms, I was baffled to receive an email from Companies House saying that I had filed a statement when I thought I'd bailed out at the start page.
Sigh.
Sigh.
In today's episode of #FixTheForms, I bravely attempted to file my company statement ahead of the deadline.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
January 12, 2026 at 9:04 AM
Further update on the Companies House episode of #FixTheForms
The statement that I didn’t know I had filed has been rejected as a duplicate.
I don’t know what this means and there is no further information or any link to any help.
I suspect that it means I tried to do the task too early.
The statement that I didn’t know I had filed has been rejected as a duplicate.
I don’t know what this means and there is no further information or any link to any help.
I suspect that it means I tried to do the task too early.
Your thing, your way.
Related: as I kludge my way through various quilting things, I keep reminding myself “I’m not doing this for a competition”
Related: as I kludge my way through various quilting things, I keep reminding myself “I’m not doing this for a competition”
January 11, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Your thing, your way.
Related: as I kludge my way through various quilting things, I keep reminding myself “I’m not doing this for a competition”
Related: as I kludge my way through various quilting things, I keep reminding myself “I’m not doing this for a competition”
Reposted by Caroline Jarrett
And for my first blog post of the year, a good old fashioned rant.
"I'm sorry"
amyhupe.co.uk/articles/sor...
"I'm sorry"
amyhupe.co.uk/articles/sor...
Sorry seems to be the most overused word
Content design and design systems consultant
amyhupe.co.uk
January 10, 2026 at 1:33 PM
And for my first blog post of the year, a good old fashioned rant.
"I'm sorry"
amyhupe.co.uk/articles/sor...
"I'm sorry"
amyhupe.co.uk/articles/sor...
I’m at 122 because I’ve lived in New York and in Wisconsin, plus tried to visit as much as possible. Sad that the borders are closed to me now.
January 9, 2026 at 6:25 PM
I’m at 122 because I’ve lived in New York and in Wisconsin, plus tried to visit as much as possible. Sad that the borders are closed to me now.
... if you can't cope with the solving this problem silently for the user because that's too much work, at least put the text about entering leading zeros into a hint *before* the question rather than turning it into an alarming reprimand *after* the question
January 9, 2026 at 4:48 PM
... if you can't cope with the solving this problem silently for the user because that's too much work, at least put the text about entering leading zeros into a hint *before* the question rather than turning it into an alarming reprimand *after* the question
Another update on today's episode of #FixTheForms
It's hard to show how baffling the Companies House experience was without dozens of screenshots, but here's a specific example of lack of user-centred design.
My company number has seven digits.
Pro tip: try adding those leading zero for me OR ...
It's hard to show how baffling the Companies House experience was without dozens of screenshots, but here's a specific example of lack of user-centred design.
My company number has seven digits.
Pro tip: try adding those leading zero for me OR ...
January 9, 2026 at 4:48 PM
Another update on today's episode of #FixTheForms
It's hard to show how baffling the Companies House experience was without dozens of screenshots, but here's a specific example of lack of user-centred design.
My company number has seven digits.
Pro tip: try adding those leading zero for me OR ...
It's hard to show how baffling the Companies House experience was without dozens of screenshots, but here's a specific example of lack of user-centred design.
My company number has seven digits.
Pro tip: try adding those leading zero for me OR ...
Update on today's episode of #FixTheForms, I was baffled to receive an email from Companies House saying that I had filed a statement when I thought I'd bailed out at the start page.
Sigh.
Sigh.
In today's episode of #FixTheForms, I bravely attempted to file my company statement ahead of the deadline.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
January 9, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Update on today's episode of #FixTheForms, I was baffled to receive an email from Companies House saying that I had filed a statement when I thought I'd bailed out at the start page.
Sigh.
Sigh.
So, so, so much agree.
One of the emails I got was viciously illegible, too.
One of the emails I got was viciously illegible, too.
January 9, 2026 at 4:35 PM
So, so, so much agree.
One of the emails I got was viciously illegible, too.
One of the emails I got was viciously illegible, too.
Let's make sure we catch up at GovCamp
January 9, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Let's make sure we catch up at GovCamp
My sympathies are with whoever is trying hard to do user-centred service delivery at Companies House and who has clearly been blocked from doing basic usability testing, or maybe they've been allowed to do usability testing and then not allowed to make necessary changes.
January 9, 2026 at 4:26 PM
My sympathies are with whoever is trying hard to do user-centred service delivery at Companies House and who has clearly been blocked from doing basic usability testing, or maybe they've been allowed to do usability testing and then not allowed to make necessary changes.
tl;dr on video problems:
- has incorrect log in process with the wrong screens
- shows me pages that I've already done
- shows the wrong amount for payment
- appears on a page long after the things it asks me to do in the video
- has incorrect log in process with the wrong screens
- shows me pages that I've already done
- shows the wrong amount for payment
- appears on a page long after the things it asks me to do in the video
January 9, 2026 at 4:26 PM
tl;dr on video problems:
- has incorrect log in process with the wrong screens
- shows me pages that I've already done
- shows the wrong amount for payment
- appears on a page long after the things it asks me to do in the video
- has incorrect log in process with the wrong screens
- shows me pages that I've already done
- shows the wrong amount for payment
- appears on a page long after the things it asks me to do in the video
In today's episode of #FixTheForms, I bravely attempted to file my company statement ahead of the deadline.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
January 9, 2026 at 4:26 PM
In today's episode of #FixTheForms, I bravely attempted to file my company statement ahead of the deadline.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
Companies House had truly provided one of the most baffling, confusing, and repetitive sets of pages that I've ever encountered on any website ever.
Special prize for useless 4min video.
Oh dear. Glad you decided to come back then.
January 8, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Oh dear. Glad you decided to come back then.
Hooray, @contenthelen.bsky.social is here now
@contenthelen.bsky.social welcome friend to this other micro blogging platform 🤗
January 8, 2026 at 8:09 AM
Hooray, @contenthelen.bsky.social is here now
If you’re coming to @ukgovcamp.com by train and haven’t already booked, it’s worth trying for train tickets right now. There’s a sale on and I snagged my outward ticket for a tasty £3.40. A welcome reduction on the standard anytime fare (£23.20 including senior discount).
January 7, 2026 at 7:27 PM
If you’re coming to @ukgovcamp.com by train and haven’t already booked, it’s worth trying for train tickets right now. There’s a sale on and I snagged my outward ticket for a tasty £3.40. A welcome reduction on the standard anytime fare (£23.20 including senior discount).
Prompted by this I had a look for my tickets. It seems that there’s a sale on at the moment and I can get my outward ticket for £3.40.
January 7, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Prompted by this I had a look for my tickets. It seems that there’s a sale on at the moment and I can get my outward ticket for £3.40.