Formats for response buttons with long text strings

Responses that consist of long text strings often pose a problem in page design. A survey to update position descriptions might ask respondents to chose which job tasks apply to them from a list of such tasks. The task statements might be long text str ings.

Start a new project or a new page in your iiiform and enter the following as a Check all that apply type question using the regular push button style.

From the following list of administrative duties, select those that are or should be part of your position description, i.e. are currently part of your responsibilities.

A. Interface and represent your department in activities relating to human resources.

B. Identify department and individual training needs.

C. Maintain and ensure the accuracy of departmental records.

D. Review customer complaints for appropriate response and prevention of future occurrences.

E. Write and revise standard operating procedures for company policy.

The resulting response set has buttons of varying sizes and dimensions that do not look good on the page. Try these alternatives to see which yield a page that looks more pleasing.

Text-only button style with the response background the same color as the page.

In the page design screen, focus on the question and select Response | Modify Response. In the resulting Compose Responses screen select Button | Button Style to obtain the button style menu.

Select Text only and Color Background and using Set Color, set the response background as white. Then use File | Save to save the response set with the changes. When you return to the page design screen, select Fi le | Preferences | Page Color | Set and set the page color to white.
Take a look at the page in Form Preview and see if that makes it look better. To use this technique the page and the response background must be the same color although it does not have to be white.

Plain text with coded response buttons.

In the Compose Question box, delete everything and then create a set of response buttons that contain the letters A B C D E in a vertical row. Use a vertical spacing of 4 or 5. Apply this blank question to the page design screen. You will have a set of responses with seemingly no question.

Be careful to give the question a meaningful Descriptive name in the Question Properties box. Otherwise the item will have a name like Q2.

Now type out each of the items and apply them as Plain text (not a question) next to the corresponding button. Save the page and form and take a look at it in Form Preview.