Errors and error rates: workshop for X-Gov content clubpptx

Error messages and error rates
X-gov content club, April 2025
Caroline Jarrett
@cjforms.bsky.social

Caroline Jarrett Effortmark.co.uk @cjforms (CC) BY SA-4.0
2
I’m the forms specialist. I collect joke forms.
Citizen's Self-Arrest Form (archive.org)

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The form has lots of fun details

4
The declaration is a work of art

5
There is a new
Tooth Fairy Service
Claim for a missing tooth

6
Oatmeal talks about
error messages
How to make your shopping cart suck less - The Oatmeal

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Agenda
Write truly helpful error messages
Share what we know about our error rates (if anything)
Have (more) fun with questions about forms

8
Here’s an EasyRetro for your questions
https://bit.ly/formsq25
or add to the chat

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Write truly helpful error messages

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Error messages need content design and testing

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I’m going to talk about 6 types of error messages
1. Cute or funny
2. “Charlie Wilkins”
3. “Well doh”
4. Mechanical
5. Decision
6. Silent

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I got this survey question after a failed delivery

13
The cute comment dial thing did not help my mood

14
A cute “Doing great!” was extra annoying

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I find a lot of examples jump out at me

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My family says “Charlie Wilkins” when
someone knows a story but refuses to share it
This isn’t Charlie – this is my Grandad.
Granny wanted to tell him something about
Charlie Wilkins but he wouldn’t listen.
Later he asked her for the story, but she was
grumpy and wouldn’t share it.
Image credit: photograph owned by Caroline Jarrett

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This seemed very “Charlie Wilkins” to me

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This is a “Well doh”
error message
It repeats what it already said,
but louder.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/noemie-peter-913444142_my-name-isno%C3%A9mie-with-an-accent-however
-activity-7205939047159005185-gcGH

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This is a mechanical
error message
It explains what you may type into
the box – the interaction

20
Criodán Ó Murchú
wasn’t happy about it
"How am I supposed to book a flight
with AerLingus when I can't spell my
name correctly on the site? How is this
still a problem in Ireland in 2025?
#spéirgorm"
Criodán Ó Murchú (he/him) on Bluesky
(spéirgorm is Irish for blue sky)

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Mechanical messages
can be useful
Dunelm gave me the
rules for a password
straight away, before I
typed anything

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I see this as a
decision message
This form gave me the option
of creating any password, and
I see it as helping me to make
a good decision about my
password

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A silent error message is no error message
Sometimes there is no error message at all
Instead, the form simply sorts it out for you
Example: the recommended date input for GOV.UK design
system now allows you to type letters for the month
Date input – GOV.UK Design System

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Here are my 6 types of error message
1. Cute or funny tries to use humour
2. “Charlie Wilkins” knows but won’t say
3. “Well doh” repeats what it already says
4. Mechanical explains how to interact
5. Decision explains how to find or create an answer
6. Silent fixes trivial problems for you

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Avoid cute, “Charlie Wilkins”, and “Well doh”
1. Cute or funny tries to use humour
2. “Charlie Wilkins” knows but won’t say
3. “Well doh” repeats what it already says
4. Mechanical explains how to interact
5. Decision explains how to find or create an answer
6. Silent fixes trivial problems for you

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Baymard recommends ‘adaptive error messages’
How to Improve Validation Errors – Baymard Institute

Takeaway To create truly helpful error
messages, work closely with
your designers and developers

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I’ve got a parking fine
but lost the penalty
charge notice
Put your suggestions for
a truly helpful error
message in the chat

Takeaway Think about error messages
as part of the conversation
and as part of the service

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Here are some articles on error messages
Amy Hupe
How to write error messages that actually help users rather than frustrate them
Craig Abbott
Error messages are not funny
Jenny Nadler
When life gives you lemons, write better error messages
Baymard Institute
How to Improve Validation Errors – Baymard Institute

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Agenda
 Write truly helpful error messages
Share what we know about our error rates (if anything)

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Share what we know about
our error rates (if anything)

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Some errors hit
the headlines
Disabled Ipswich woman told to r
epay £5,000 of universal credit -
BBC News

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Some people don’t
get to the end of their
application
People on low incomes or no
income in California can apply
for government money to buy
fresh food (CalFresh).
https://www.calsaws.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/BenefitsCal-Usage-
Metrics-Report-Nov-Dec-2024.pdf

35
UK Government
services must publish
completion rates
Data you must publish - Service Manual - GOV.UK

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Please share your experiences of error rates
This is an EasyRetro bit.ly/errors25
You’ll find columns for:
• Say whether your service does anything to track or count errors
• Errors that can happen or might happen in your service
• Any other thought, comment, or question

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I’ve been thinking about error categories
Thanks to the team at HMRC who inspired this
Error category Examples
Problems along the way Validation problem, abandoned attempt
Wrong result Attempt wrongly rejected
Unnecessary action Progress chasing
Delayed-impact problem Data OK when collected, not when used
Non- or over-uptake Eligible person does not apply
Ineligible person does apply
Something else?

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I mentioned that services
must publish completion
rates
Measuring completion rate - Service Manual - GOV.UK

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Completion rate is a relatively simple calculation
Completion rate =
Number of people who complete
Number of people who start

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Error rate is theoretically simple
Error rate =
Number of errors

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Other error rate calculations are available
Error rate =
Number of attempts with an error
complete
are eligible
other?

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Example: there are at least 3 definitions of turnout
• In an election, a failure to vote is an error
Turnout =
Number of votes counted
Number of people who
1. Send in postal votes or go in person
2. Are on the electoral roll
3. Are in the voting-eligible population
Thanks to Whitney Quesenbery for this example

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Agenda
 Write truly helpful error messages
 Share what we know about our error rates (if anything)

44
A good form starts with user and business needs
User
needs
Business
needs
Answers
you need
Questions
you ask
Interaction design
Appearance
Content design
Conversation
Service design
Relationship

45
A good form needs a lot of design
Interaction design Content design Service design

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Ask me questions: Caroline Jarrett
Social media @cjforms
caroline.jarrett@effortmark.co.uk
www.effortmark.co.uk

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