Error Messages and the User Experience

We all want to believe that our websites deliver enjoyable, seamless experiences. That nobody ever encounters a broken link, cryptic error message or dead end. That users joyfully enter their information in the correct fields, using the format we require.

Unfortunately, those wishes don’t match reality.

Over at UXmatters, Caroline Jarrett makes a simple but valid point: Errors are inevitable when people and computers interact. Whether it’s outdated bookmark, quirky server issue, odd search engine result, or even a mistyped URL, users do encounter errors. (Even sites with great content occasionally slip.)

It’s critical to consider error messages as part of the user experience – and your content. As writers, we must challenge our tendency to view error messages as technology or developer issues. In fact, according to this A List Apart post:

One of the most fundamental rules of user experience on the web is that developers are rarely qualified to evaluate it. As developers, we know far too much about the web in general, and intuitively grasp details that mystify people who spend their days contributing to society in other ways. For this reason, it’s all too easy for us to build websites and applications that are hard to use.

While a friendly, one-size-fits-all error message is better than nothing, it’s far better to dig deeper and deliver targeted, actionable messages. The UXmatters post outlines several considerations:

Think about unexpected errors. It’s unlikely that you can capture every possible error scenario, so make sure your messages give users multiple solutions for their circumstances.

Give users options about what to do next. Suggest different alternatives to solve the issue. It sounds obvious, but too many sites fall short in this area.

Provide buttons that offer appropriate actions. Think beyond the usual “OK” and “Cancel” buttons and offer more relevant actions.

Use plain language. This is another reason why writers must be involved. (See my previous posts on plain language.)

Think of error messages as conversations. Consider how you might resolve the issue face-to-face, and bring that same warmth and service to your error messages.

As a starting point, write a custom 404 error message. Then look at your site analytics, customer service logs and other sources to identify your site’s most common trouble spots. Over time, you’ll retain more visitors and provide a much more satisfying user experience.