Form Error Messages

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Benjamin
Site Administrator
Posts: 6935
Joined: Sun May 19, 2002 10:24 pm

Form Error Messages

Post by Benjamin »

How do you prefer to word your form error messages? For example, do you prefer to say:
  • Your name is required
  • Please enter your name
  • You must enter your name
  • A name must be entered
  • A name is required
How do you word yours and why?
matthijs
DevNet Master
Posts: 3360
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:57 pm

Re: Form Error Messages

Post by matthijs »

I would pick the second "Please enter your name", because it sounds the friendliest. Error messages are one of the most annoying things to deal with as a user, so no need to make it any worse by "You must ..".

The other ones are some where in between, being somewhat neutral.

It's the same with any other communication. Say you write an email to a client:
"You must provide me with the copy for the website next week"
compare that to:
"Please provide me with the copy for the website next week"

I believe it helps to pay attention to those things.
Hadi
Forum Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:40 am
Location: Amman - Jordan

Re: Form Error Messages

Post by Hadi »

I will choose "Please enter your name" it is more polite and it is more friendly rather than the others :).
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