Summary: We aren’t dealing with a story, we’re dealing with a signal—a message from software to human that something isn’t working: an insufficient balance. It’s not narrative. It’s structure without substance, code without context. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to learn here. These error messages are quiet messengers of user experience problems, communication breakdowns, and human emotion at the gate of interaction. When you learn to speak the language of these errors, you stop building systems that throw users away when things go wrong—and you start building systems that keep them coming back.
It’s Not a Story—It’s a Symptom
Let’s put it on the table: { "error": "Insufficient account balance." } is not a gripping tale. There’s no protagonist, no arc, no plot. It’s raw, blunt, and sterile. And that’s exactly the problem. If we stop here, we commit the sin of every lazy developer or marketer: assuming the user should understand our backend language instead of us understanding their pain.
Why did they see this error? What were they trying to achieve? What emotion followed – confusion, frustration, embarrassment?
Strip the technical framing, and you’ll realize this is where users drop. It’s a cold stop. And unless you think through how errors like these land on your customer, you risk losing more than just a transaction—you lose goodwill. You break the commitment you worked so hard to build. Was that a price you were willing to pay?
When “No” Builds Trust
Chris Voss, former FBI negotiator, teaches the power of “No”—it makes people feel safe. “No” is permission to protect themselves. But the context of the “No” matters.
An error message like Insufficient Balance is a “No.” But it’s one without empathy, without direction, and without recovery. It’s a door slammed shut with no sign saying how to exit the hallway. That’s not negotiation. That’s alienation. Instead, what if this message became a moment of conversation?
What could we add that mirrors the user’s mental model? Suppose they just clicked a payment button. They expected a result. Instead, they hit a wall. How could we re-engage them from there? Ask yourself: what do they expect next? Can we offer a way forward?
It’s About Context, Not Just Code
Here’s the truth: Most systems are built by internal logic, not by human logic. JSON error messages are reflections of internal states, not user states. That’s why they fall flat. They miss story, feeling, and context. And people don’t engage with systems—they react to how systems make them feel.
Let’s say your product is a fintech app. A user tries to transfer money. They expect speed, clarity, and control. Instead, they get a cold message. They aren’t technologists—they’re people with goals. So that message must justify their failure without blame. Confirm their suspicion (yes, your account balance was low) and alleviate their fear (you haven’t lost anything). That’s how you win back trust.
Error Messages Are Marketing
Yes, marketing. Because every piece of text a customer sees is marketing—even your error messages.
Messaging is never neutral. Either it builds your brand or it erodes it. Consider this: did your last error message show authority with kindness? Did it speak clearly and independently to a first-time user? Or was it written for the dev team, by the dev team?
Clear copy = clarity of thought = leadership. If a user gets an error, and your system goes silent or cold, they’ll feel abandoned. Even for a single error. But if it gently says, “Your balance is too low for this transaction. Want to add funds or try a smaller amount?”—you’re not just informing; you’re negotiating reaffirmation of commitment.
Don’t Just Translate—Redesign
You can’t polish error messages like you polish ads. They must be rewritten from purpose up. The goal is not to explain internal logic—it’s to move the user forward. The interface should be a helpful partner, not a bouncer at the door.
To extract real value from errors, ask:
- What was the user trying to do before this?
- What emotion are they likely feeling in the moment?
- How can we offer choices from here?
- What words reaffirm their competence and dignity?
You aren’t just fixing usability—you’re reaffirming the relationship. And that builds consistency, which builds trust, which drives behavior. Cialdini would call it Commitment and Consistency. And that’s persuasive writing even in failure.
Humanize the Exit When Things Go Wrong
The error message isn’t the end of your product—it’s the test of your brand. Most systems pass when things go right. But loyalty is won when things go wrong.
So next time you see a machine say, "error": "Insufficient balance.", don’t just fix it—ask yourself how it made the user feel. Did it cheer them on, or shut them out?
Want to avoid silence when something breaks? Start where the silence lives—between your code and your customer. On that tiny screen. In those six or seven words. Write there as if your business depends on it. Because it does.
#UXDesign #ErrorMessaging #PersuasiveUI #HumanCenteredTech #DigitalCommunication #ChrisVossNegotiation #CialdiniPrinciples #EmpathyInDesign
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and ahmad gunnaivi (OupUvbC_TEY)
