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== Error screens and messages == Error screens and messages are an opportunity for the application to inform users that either a system or user error has occurred. It is also an opportunity for the application to help the user recover from the error and avoid costly support calls. To quote directly from [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/error-message-guidelines/ Neilsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics (1994);] Error messages should be expressed in plain language (no codes), precisely indicate the problem, and constructively suggest a solution. The guidelines for creating effective error messages have been the same for 20 years. Good error message should include: * '''Explicit''' indication that something has gone wrong. The very worst error messages are those that don't exist. When users make mistakes and get no feedback, they're completely lost. Email, for example, offers several situations where explicit indication would be useful. Such as: When you send a message that gets eaten by the system and never reaches the recipient. Another good example? When you state in an email that you'll include an attachment, but forget to do so. Finally a job for that annoying paperclip: ''"You seem to want to attach a file to this message, but you have not done so. Would you like to attach one now?"'' * '''Human-readable''' language, instead of obscure codes or abbreviations such as ''"an error of type 2 has occurred."'' * '''Polite''' phrasing that doesn't blame users or imply that they are either stupid or doing something wrong, as in ''"illegal command."'' * '''Precise''' descriptions of exact problems, rather than vague generalities such as ''"syntax error."'' * '''Constructive advice''' on how to fix the problem. For example, instead of saying ''"out of stock,"'' your error message should either tell users when the product will be available or provide [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/request-marketing/ a way for users to ask to be notified] when the product is restocked.

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