Enforce active selection for radio button groups

Type: UI Enhancement / Data Quality

Description

Across the platform, radio button groups are commonly implemented with the first option pre-selected by default. This means a user can save/submit a form without ever having actively confirmed the correct value, since the default option is silently accepted.

Current Behaviour

• Radio button groups correctly allow only one option to be selected at a time.

• However, the first option in a group is typically pre-selected by default. Users can proceed and save a record without making a deliberate choice, meaning the recorded value may not reflect an actual decision by the user.

Expected Behaviour

• Where a radio button group represents a meaningful choice (rather than a genuine default), no option should be pre-selected when the form loads or when creating a new record.

• The user must actively select one of the options before the record can be saved/submitted.

• It must remain impossible to select more than one option in a group at once (already satisfied by radio button behaviour, to be preserved).

Known Technical Constraint

Standard radio button controls do not natively support an "unselected by default, then grey out the other option once one is chosen" state , a radio group without a default typically still permits no selection at all, or requires a workaround (e.g., a hidden "unset" state, or client/server-side validation).

Acceptance Criteria

• A reusable pattern/component is available for radio groups that require active selection, starting with no option pre-selected.

• Attempting to save/submit a form without a required selection is blocked, with a clear message to the user.

• Only one option can be selected at any time within a group (no change to existing exclusivity behaviour).

• Once an option is selected, the form can be saved/submitted normally.

Business Impact

Closes a data-quality gap across the platform where values could be recorded incorrectly by default rather than through deliberate user input, particularly important for compliance-related fields such as OFP status, but relevant anywhere a default selection could mask an unmade decision.