Hostile Patterns in Error Messages

It makes sense then that not one, but two of Jakob Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics are devoted to errors:

• Heuristic #5 is error prevention. This guideline states that we should prevent problems from occurring by eliminating error-prone conditions or by providing a confirmation option before users commit to actions with serious consequences.
• Heuristic #9 is help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors. Error messages should be expressed in plain language, communicate the problem and a solution, and make use of visual styling that will help users notice them.

Conclusion

These aggressive strategies for error prevention and recovery are akin to standing over the shoulder of a user and shouting “YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!” during a workflow. They can be perceived as offensive and cause undo frustration.

Bottom line: Let’s assist users, not admonish them.

Follow these guidelines to effectively support error prevention and recovery without making users feel assaulted or shamed:

• Wait until a user moves on from a field to display an error message related to an appropriate format (e.g., ZIP code, email address).
• Provide any constraints upfront; do not wait until the user begins typing or attempts to submit the entry.
• Use an asterisk to mark required fields or annotate required fields with the word required. Do not overload the user with multiple indicators (e.g., asterisk and red outlined field and inline validation message). Display additional elements if and after the user attempts to submit a form or page without filling in required fields.
• Reserve error-like visual treatments (e.g., red text, caution, and warning symbols) for critical system-status messages that are meant to disrupt the users’ workflow.