Data minimisation
Data minimisation is one of the GDPR principles: process only personal data that is adequate and necessary for the purpose. In practice it means keeping as few fields on the form as possible.
It is the one data-protection principle that also improves conversion. Every extra field is work for the respondent and risk for you — data you never collected cannot leak.
A good test for each field: what exactly will we use this value for, and what happens if we do not have it? If the answer is “it might come in handy”, the field does not belong there.
When you need certain details only in some cases, the answer is not to ask everyone — it is conditional logic.
FAQ
Can I keep a field just in case?
Collecting data “just in case” is precisely what minimisation rules out.
How do I handle data needed only sometimes?
With conditional logic — the field appears only when it is genuinely needed.
Is minimisation related to retention?
Yes, retention should be minimised too: delete what you no longer need.
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