Any site or app that collects user information of any kind will more than likely require that a form be filled out. This is never the most fun part of the user experience but it is a necessary step in the process. If an online form has any obstacles there is a high probability that the user will either; contact someone and ask for assistance, bail on the process, or leave and never return. Therefore, anything that makes the entire process easier on the end-user can only have a positive outcome for everyone involved.
I’m interested in any tips that help the form completion process, these are never drastic additions that make the user's squeal with excitement, like a well developed RIA (Rich Internet Application) such as Flash or Silverlight, but… “It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” – John Wooden
Here’s a nice tip I came across when creating forms…
http://www.zurb.com/article/271/making-forms-convert-through-awesome-inli
Inline labelling that remains even after the user has selected the input field, then disappears as the user types.
Usually the inline label disappears after it is selected which can cause problems if the label contains instructions or it is selected by default.
This effect is achieved through a combination of html, css and javascript.
It is being used with good results here …
www.me.com/