Comments on: How to Design Error Messages http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html Dealing with software projects in real life Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:07:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-3941 Pawel Brodzinski Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:26:13 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-3941 Back then Pandora was a piece of software I really loved. I believe it still is although I'm out of luck and because of RIAA actions it is blocked for my country. Nice to hear others have similar approach when it comes to error messages. There are still many sites which do crappy job with these. Back then Pandora was a piece of software I really loved. I believe it still is although I’m out of luck and because of RIAA actions it is blocked for my country.

Nice to hear others have similar approach when it comes to error messages. There are still many sites which do crappy job with these.

]]> By: Sean Lambert http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-3934 Sean Lambert Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:57:22 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-3934 I just got a similar error from Pandora, and I was thinking about writing a blog article about it. Then I did a quick Bing search and found that you already said everything I was planning to say - three years ago! I just got a similar error from Pandora, and I was thinking about writing a blog article about it. Then I did a quick Bing search and found that you already said everything I was planning to say – three years ago!

]]> By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-1810 Pawel Brodzinski Sat, 14 Apr 2007 21:14:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-1810 That's not about being lazy. That's about user experience. <i>User</i> experience, not <i>developer</i> experience. <br/><br/>Yes, the chances are good that the second message will help me at least a bit to find out what went wrong. But that's only because I used to be a developer once. How many users have experience in software development?<br/><br/>Having said that the question is not if I'm lazy but if I care. I don't want to bother why the darn software doesn't work. That's not my job here. That's developer's part of the job. And they better have some logs, crash dumps or whatever to track the bug down. I don't hack my car when I want to drive to my workplace everyday. It just works or lights user-friendly controls when something is broken. The car doesn't dump technical details when it can't be started. I wouldn't understand it anyway. That's the mechanic's job. <br/><br/>I expect the same from the software I use. And most users are too. That’s not about being lazy. That’s about user experience. User experience, not developer experience.

Yes, the chances are good that the second message will help me at least a bit to find out what went wrong. But that’s only because I used to be a developer once. How many users have experience in software development?

Having said that the question is not if I’m lazy but if I care. I don’t want to bother why the darn software doesn’t work. That’s not my job here. That’s developer’s part of the job. And they better have some logs, crash dumps or whatever to track the bug down. I don’t hack my car when I want to drive to my workplace everyday. It just works or lights user-friendly controls when something is broken. The car doesn’t dump technical details when it can’t be started. I wouldn’t understand it anyway. That’s the mechanic’s job.

I expect the same from the software I use. And most users are too.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-1809 Anonymous Sat, 14 Apr 2007 20:52:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/03/how-to-design-error-messages.html#comment-1809 usually the second one allows you to find out how to try again. If you arenot lazy the second one is better. usually the second one allows you to find out how to try again. If you arenot lazy the second one is better.

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