encyclo - 12:31 am on Jun 4, 2009 (gmt 0)

One thing that almost always comes out ahead in usability testing is the simpler, the better. In this case, switching from four form fields to two should have a positive effect. The classic view forces two obligatory fields, which can be frustrating for users who are unsure of what they are searching for, or know information handled by the optional fields but not the obligatory ones. The simpler two-box version uses back-end programming to separate out the appropriate information, and the simplicity of the two box "what" (business name) and "where" (location) should make for fewer errors by the end users.

Obviously we can only make certain assumptions in the absence of any formal (or even informal) interface testing, but it is extremely rare to see more complex forms win out over simpler ones. My personal preference in this case would certainly be the new interface.