Show required fields without relying on an asterisk

What to change

Agree a visible and accessible way to distinguish required information from optional information before the visitor starts completing the form.

A worked example

Illustrative example

An optional organisation field can remain blank on a personal enquiry. The email field identifies its requirement before the visitor attempts to continue.

How to check the result

Accept when the visible form, assistive technology output and submission behaviour agree on which questions require an answer.

A mistake to avoid

A global sentence saying all fields are required becomes misleading as soon as one genuinely optional question is added.

Your action checklist

Use these checks to prepare a discussion with your team or supplier. Tick a check when you have recorded the decision or evidence, rather than when a feature has simply been promised.

Decisions to recordList every required field in the current form. Compare the actual submission rules with the labels and the explanation shown before the first field.Leave each optional field blank in turn and complete a test submission. Ask the supplier to remove any hidden requirement that contradicts the displayed form.Listen to representative fields with a screen reader, including a grouped choice question. Required status should accompany the correct question without repeating confusing instructions.

Evidence, open questions and decisionsNext action and responsible role

Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Download your notes before leaving; the page does not save them.