UI - How I can make users effectively read what my program says?

Question

I have a simple form that searches through the 2000+ issues of a 3rd party webcomic. (Easy, it's like xkcd: http://url/number That form is as easy as possible, is like this:

1. What number do you want?
2. User writes a number, clicks ok, and goes on the 3rd party website on a new tab
3. Then, my form asks a question: "Did you find that issue memorable? Enter the name here, and we will add it to the "best issues" in home page"
4. When the user will write the name of the issue, it is added to the database (pending moderation by me)

So, I supposed this design is the easiest and convenient that users can find. Unfortunately, NONE of the users (maybe a 2% behaved correctly) will actually read what I asked. Some of the issues are offline, and gives a 404. On that issues users will write in the textbox a completely wrong title, and correctly capitalized!

It's like if i would name http://xkcd.com/627/ as "The Great Adventures of Jack Smith"

Users are from around all over the country, with different browsers, and have a different cookie.

I cannot believe that my users will not read what I ask, it is a WHITE PAGE with a button that disappears when clicked and a textbox.... easier than that???

Maybe i should put a checkbox with "I acknowledge that this form is for submitting memorable issues, not for fun"? Oh, who will read that?

Or maybe i could enable the textbox only if the user has effectively clicked the link?

Answer 1

Try it!!

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• You could try parsing the title of the page and obtaining the title yourself

• OR you might want to request the username/handle.

  Once the user enters the details and clicks SUBMIT, Show a confirmation page ( preview of how the submission will be listed). Make sure to include the username/handle as the person who submitted it (This brings a sense of responsibility to the guy who submits). Remember to keep a back button to allow the user to go back and make the necessary changes ans submit again.

• Allow users to create profiles on ur site (they maybe as simple as stackoverflow's profile system. here's mine for example). Unless he is logged-in, submissions posted as anonyomous. Rest same as above.

NOTE: There might be a slim possibility that, U are be being targetted by spam / captcha bots. Hence the random text entries. still. do implement the above. A better UI never hurt anyone. Right??...

Answer 2

Do your users understand your site/service?

I, for one, don't remember (web-)comics by their issue number, but by their content. When asked what xkcd comic number I would like to see, I'd probably input random numbers like 42, 123 or 666 or something.

After you make me guess for a number you ask me if the associated comic is particularly epic, then you ask me to do some data entry for it to put it on some kind of hall of fame. Honestly I do not understand what the logic is behind inserting titles for non existing comics -- are you sure they don't actually land them on the comic page for "The Great Adventures of Jack Smith"? The 2% of your userbase probably noticed the issue in the URL you generated for them, addressed it and typed in the right title. Or, maybe, they are typing the name of the comic they actually wanted to see instead.

There's a simple way to know. Have your mom use it and do not correct her if she makes mistakes. All mistakes she makes are your fault, not hers.

Without having the text of the labels you have put it's harder for us to second guess what's going wrong than it is for you.