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UX Content Strategy

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Status and Error Messages

5:12 with Dan Gorgone

In this video, we’ll explore how personality and voice could be applied to simple pieces of website and app messaging - such as status and error messages - to improve UX and understanding.

Once you've defined your personality, you can confidently begin to create 0:00
UX content that reflects who you are and improves the experience for your users. 0:04
One way you should apply your personality is with status and error messages. 0:09
Like when you submit a form, you'll either see a confirmation message or 0:14
an error message asking you to fix something. 0:18
Another is when users hit a broken link, like on the Olive Garden website here, 0:21
and users need to figure out where to go. 0:26
Why are these short little pieces of content important? 0:28
They provide valuable immediate feedback for the user, and 0:32
keep the user experience intact when interruptions occur. 0:36
But without these messages, 0:40
users may not understand if something worked or how to fix it. 0:42
So these messages have become integral parts of user interfaces. 0:45
But a lot of times, designers and developers will go with most generic 0:50
version of the message simply to make the interaction work. 0:54
But on the other hand, let's say you're browsing on Threadless for 0:58
a designer t-shirt. 1:02
You spot something you like and add it to your cart. 1:03
Suddenly, like magic, your shopping cart appears, a smile on its face, 1:06
and tells you One item added to my Carty Belly! 1:11
I'm still hungry. 1:14
And this is adorable, I mean, who wouldn't want to keep feeding this cute little guy? 1:16
At it's core, 1:21
this is a form confirmation that tells me I was able to complete my desired action. 1:22
But with a healthy dose of personality in the form of a cute image and 1:27
little character, I can see Threadless wants me to enjoy this experience. 1:32
So as you've seen, UX content takes many forms, text, images, 1:37
video, even little characters. 1:42
And when it comes to these status and error messages, they're essential for 1:44
keeping the user experience intact when users need instant feedback. 1:49
But there's another reason why these messages are a great way to impact UX. 1:53
It's because your users won't expect it. 1:58
A lot of people expect generic messages like form complete or 2:01
success when they do stuff. 2:06
But not a smiling shopping cart hungry for more business. 2:08
When you return a message with unexpected personality and 2:12
a personal touch, it's more likely to make a positive impression. 2:16
So if Threadless is a fun brand, what kind of brand are you? 2:21
Think back to the personality trait exercise you completed, and 2:26
you might start to have some ideas how to apply your personality traits to status or 2:30
error messages. 2:35
What would you say if a user messed up an important form? 2:36
Or if they completed a purchase on your site? 2:40
How would you warn them or thank them? 2:44
Here are a few strategies to think about. 2:47
First, consider the context of the interaction. 2:50
Why is the user doing something that requires feedback? 2:53
If they're trying to submit a help ticket, you don't wanna return a status 2:57
message that's out of touch with their current attitude. 3:01
A message like, super duper, we got your help request. 3:05
It might make them feel like they're not being taken seriously. 3:09
Stay true to your personality, but use the right tone for the situation. 3:11
Help requests should generally elicit a more serious and measured response. 3:17
But confirming a purchase or event sign up could be an opportunity to 3:22
provide a more positive and celebratory piece of feedback. 3:27
Another important tip. 3:31
If you're going to inject your feedback with personality, 3:32
make sure you keep the meaning of your message intact. 3:36
Confirmation or warning messages are there for a reason. 3:39
Users must know what's happening. 3:43
Don't muddle the meaning by making your messages too clever or confusing. 3:46
Like if someone registered for an event, tell them exactly what they need to know. 3:52
Don't go overboard and say hurray you're on the list, bruh. 3:57
Did I just get added to a list? 4:02
Did I do this right? 4:04
Inject just enough personality so your voice is familiar, but 4:06
don't force your users to wonder what you're trying to say. 4:10
Make sure the message is clear without any confusion. 4:14
And while these injections of personality can be helpful, 4:17
don't start inventing new places where messages pop-up. 4:21
You don't want to reinvent how normal interaction or processes should work. 4:25
Find the places where information needs to be given, and 4:29
then add a dash of fun, seriousness, or whatever traits make you you. 4:34
Focus on the interactive spots you already have in place, and work with those. 4:40
So when it comes to error messages or status messages, 4:45
use the appropriate tone for each situation. 4:49
Make sure the meaning is always clear. 4:53
And inject your personality into logical spots where that immediate feedback will 4:56
be helpful and welcome. 5:00
When your users run into these spots, their experience won't be disrupted. 5:02
It'll be improved because of the care you took with your UX content. 5:07