[ID Discuss] Error messaging best practices

[Todd R.Warfel]

Ryan,

In addition to the 37Signals DNF resource, a few things we've learned 
over the years...

1. Error prevention is better than messages (e.g. try to format things 
like date fields for the user once they submit them instead of making 
them submit in MM/DD/YYYY or similar format)
2. Error messages should use plain english, not cryptic error codes, 
which mean nothing to users
3. Error messages should be visually clear (often this means brightly 
coloured, bold, larger text, with an error icon (triangle with ! in 
it), highlighted background colour) at the top of the page
4. If there's more than one error message, use bullets (li) to ensure 
the user knows that there's more than one item that needs to be 
addressed
5. Clearly tell the user where the error occurred at the top of the 
page, then highlight the offending field in the page (e.g. "Your credit 
card number is not valid. Please check to make sure you entered the 
correct account number." Then at the CC field, "Please verify the 
account number.")
6. Maintain the users information that was entered into the form - 
don't make them reenter the information.
7. Return the user to the same page, don't make them "go back" to a 
page to fix the errors.

On Jan 16, 2004, at 11:16 AM, Ryan Powell wrote:

> I'm looking for info on best practices / guidelines for error messaging
> (for forms on the web)- both the content of the message and the way
> errors are brought to the user's attention.
>
> Does anyone know of any good sources? Or maybe just a site that has an
> interesting solution?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ryan Powell
> HSBC
> Chicago, IL

Cheers!

Todd R. Warfel
User Experience Architect
MessageFirst | making products easier to use
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Contact Info
voice: 	(607) 339-9640
email: 	twarfel at messagefirst.com
web: 	www.messagefirst.com
aim: 	twarfel at mac.com
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In theory, theory and practice are the same.
In practice, they are not.
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