User Experience Research
Investigating User Error Handling and Recovery Experiences
This prompt helps teams design UX research to understand how users perceive and recover from errors during interactions. It focuses on identifying areas where error handling can be improved to reduce frustration and maintain user satisfaction.
Responsible:
Product Design
Accountable, Informed or Consulted:
Design, Product, Engineering, Customer Success
THE PREP
Creating effective prompts involves tailoring them with detailed, relevant information and uploading documents that provide the best context. Prompts act as a framework to guide the response, but specificity and customization ensure the most accurate and helpful results. Use these prep tips to get the most out of this prompt:
Identify the most frequent or impactful errors users face within the product.
Recruit participants who have experienced or are likely to experience these errors.
Prepare prototypes or test environments to replicate error scenarios safely.
THE PROMPT
Help design a UX research study to investigate user experiences with error handling and recovery in [specific product or workflow]. Focus on:
Error Scenarios: Identifying common errors users encounter, such as failed form submissions, system crashes, or incorrect inputs.
Observation Techniques: Using usability tests or simulations to observe user reactions to errors in real-time.
Feedback Collection: Capturing user feedback on clarity, helpfulness, and ease of recovery from error messages or workflows.
Behavioral Metrics: Measuring indicators like time to recover, error repeat rates, and user frustration levels.
Design Improvements: Providing recommendations to enhance error messages, recovery options, and preventative measures.
Provide recommendations for structuring the research, including tools (e.g., Maze, Hotjar, or session recording software) and methods for synthesizing findings. If additional details about error-prone workflows or user goals are needed, ask clarifying questions to refine the suggestions.
Bonus Add-On Prompts
Propose techniques for testing alternative error message designs with users.
Suggest methods to evaluate how users perceive error recovery options in complex workflows.
Highlight strategies for prioritizing error-prone areas based on user frustration and frequency.
Use AI responsibly by verifying its outputs, as it may occasionally generate inaccurate or incomplete information. Treat AI as a tool to support your decision-making, ensuring human oversight and professional judgment for critical or sensitive use cases.
SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE
Focus on specific types of errors, such as form validation or network issues.
Include methods to test recovery workflows across different devices or platforms.
Propose A/B testing of alternative error handling designs to assess user preferences.
Highlight strategies for integrating error handling insights into onboarding or support documentation.
Add suggestions for analyzing user emotional responses to errors, such as frustration or relief.
WHEN TO USE
To evaluate how users perceive and recover from errors in a product.
During redesigns to improve clarity and effectiveness of error handling workflows.
When user feedback indicates significant frustration with current error messages or processes.
WHEN NOT TO USE
If errors are rare or unlikely in the product’s workflows.
When focusing on positive user experiences without addressing edge cases.