Two ‘directions’ in form
I'm creating a form that has a 'split' section, where the user either has to fill in 'Section A' OR 'Section B'.
These sections are quite large, with around 6-7 fields in both.
Another requirement I have for this form is that it needs to be on one 'page' (one webpage, not fit on one screen height).
I have looked for duplicates of this question, but can only find questions in relation to one input, not entire sections being 'split'.
I've created a few mockups of ideas I've had:
Mockup 1
This has the advantage that the user will be able to see every field before they decide which one to enter. Although it may be confusing; for example, is the generic field at the top part of it? Would users know to only fill in one section? If I disable the 'other' section, then what if they change their mind?
Mockup 2
Firstly, apologies for the bad mockup. This looks much tidier, but hides the second option. This may be a problem for a few reasons:
- The user has to click the second tab to see the fields.
- They may not know to only fill one in, though this could be solved with some text saying 'only fill in option 1 OR option 2'.
- The user may attempt to fill in both, that would raise the question of which do I accept?
So my question is:
Is there a general rule/protocol for when this problem occurs? Any advice?