How to Write Great Error Messages
Disclaimer: I am writing to aid in my own Content Design learning experience. I stand by what I say, but take everything with a grain of salt.
When completing online, there‘s only one thing more frustrating than an error message: a poorly written error message.
Whether or not you’ve recognized it, I’m sure you’ve been met with scenarios and errors that frustrated you much more than they ought to. Maybe you can’t put your finger on why the error message incited such a powerful negative reaction.
I’m going to look at some common mistakes with error messages, why they can lead to frustration and turn away users, and how to craft them to ease frustration and retain users.
Key Takeaways
- Let the user know what went wrong and what if anything they can do to proceed. When doing this, be specific.
- Take the blame if part of the issue is not their fault or the issue is serious.
What Not to Do
In my free time, I love to play video games. But, Playstation’s error messages are frustrating. Not only because they exist, but more so because they suck.
Take a look at this:
The Error Message is Unhelpful
First off, the sentence ‘an error has occurred.’ is utterly pointless. It might as well have said ‘NP-32364–8.’ The mere fact that random numbers magically popped up on the screen is a heavy enough signal that an error occurred.
The Error Message Doesn’t Provide Enough Information
The next issue is the code itself. This code is only useful if you have a laptop or smartphone nearby to search it up and slog through subreddits, Playstation support tickets, and 360p YouTube videos.
Even if you have the time and ability to search up the error code, this is incredibly lazy on the development side. This is because Playstation (in most cases) can know what the error is, and what they can do about the error. Despite this, they are forcing their users to search through inconsistent sources to get any sort of information about the problem.
The Error Message Doesn’t Empathize with the User
This error message offers no apology or empathy whatsoever. It is corporate, robotic, generic, and cold.
Error messages need to empathize with the situation the user is in by apologizing or at least recognizing that this situation is not ideal. Without it, the user is not recognized by the experience as valuable and worthy of empathy.
How to Write a Great Error Message
Give the User What They Want
As suggested by the example, when an error code occurs users want to know two things: What went wrong and what options they have to move forward.
Instead of merely saying the error code, the copy should center on what the error code means. Is it that the user has internet connectivity issues? Is it because what the user is playing has a game-breaking bug? Is it a software update that was improperly downloaded?
I’m not suggesting every error message needs a wall of text, but it should at least state where the general issue is occurring (internet, game, system, etc.). In addition, it should provide steps the user can take to improve or fix the situation (restart the router, contact support, etc.). And if the error source or steps to deal with the situation are unknown, that’s fine too, but it must be clearly stated.
Also, if users have options to move forward despite the error, it may be helpful to include buttons or links that point them in the right direction. If there isn’t, a simple “Okay” or “Got it” or exit button will at least let the user internalize that the error occurred and there is nothing they could have done to change it.
Don’t Be Funny
What I love about content design is that there is room to be creative and fun when writing copy for online experiences. However, error codes are rarely an opportunity to show off your inner comedian. Error messages are inherently frustrating to the user. As such, cracking a joke or clever one-liner can add salt to the wound instead of easing their pain.
An error code’s job is to help and inform the user, not make them laugh. In rare cases (and subjective ones at that) an error code does both, but this reward comes at a high risk — one that in my opinion, is never worth it.
Be Understanding
Because error codes are naturally frustrating, being empathetic can go a long way too.
- Take the blame. If there is something wrong with the online experience that’s not directly their fault, admit that part of it is the company’s fault, or at least reassure them that it’s not theirs.
- Apologize. This applies mostly when it’s not the user’s fault, but it could also apply when it’s neither theirs nor the company’s. Regardless, saying sorry that this experience happened shows that you understand that the outcome for them isn’t what they wanted.
- Reassure. If this issue is something that will be worked on in the future, reassure the user that the company is working to fix the issue. This will encourage them to check back later to see if the error has been fixed. Reassurance can also be used to add copy based on foreseen concerns a user might have about the impact of the error. For example, whether their data is safe or files saved.
Be Specific
While it’s obvious that the example error message from Playstation was vague to the point of obscurity, content designers can still say what went wrong and how to fix it in a vague way. Here’s a quick example:
Be specific about what the problem is and what users can do and use common language while you’re at it. Then, go through the process yourself or ask a friend if they adequately understand the issue.
Using these principles will elevate your error message game and retain users in the long run.
Sources
I took inspiration from these sources:
Error Code Tone for Different Situations
Rhiannon Jones’ article, Content design: How to write any error message
Executing Error Message Changes on a Wide Scale
https://medium.com/wix-ux/when-life-gives-you-lemons-write-better-error-messages-46c5223e1a2f
