article

Usable error message presentation in the World Wide Web: Do not show errors right away

Authors:

Javier A. Bargas-Avila,

Glenn Oberholzer,

Peter Schmutz,

Marco de Vito,

Klaus OpwisAuthors Info & Claims

Interacting with Computers, Volume 19, Issue 3

Pages 330 - 341

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intcom.2007.01.003

Published: 01 May 2007 Publication History

Abstract

Online form validation can be performed in several ways. This article discusses two empirical studies with 77 and 90 participants, which have found evidence that the best way of presenting error messages is to provide the erroneous fields after users have completed the whole form. Immediate error feedback recommended by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) showed the worst performance in these studies. Where presented with immediate feedback, users often simply ignored the messages on the screen and continued completing the form as if nothing happened. These results lead to the postulation of the ''Modal Theory of Form Completion'': Users are in either ''Completion'' or ''Revision Mode'' when filling out online forms. These modes affect the users' way of interaction with the system: During Completion Mode the users' disposition to correct mistakes is reduced, therefore error messages are often ignored.

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Cited By

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Breitmayer MArnold LWinter MReichert M(2024)Exploring user editing preferences in electronic forms: an empirical studyInformation Systems and e-Business Management10.1007/s10257-023-00662-y22:1(171-207)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10257-023-00662-y
Ferner BGåsøy ANicolaysen MSandnes F(2023)A Comparison of Form Navigation with Tabbing and PointingUniversal Access in Human-Computer Interaction10.1007/978-3-031-35681-0_20(311-318)Online publication date: 23-Jul-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/978-3-031-35681-0_20
Toxtli CRichmond-Fuller ASavage S(2020)Reputation Agent: Prompting Fair Reviews in Gig MarketsProceedings of The Web Conference 202010.1145/3366423.3380199(1228-1240)Online publication date: 20-Apr-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3366423.3380199
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Index Terms

Usable error message presentation in the World Wide Web: Do not show errors right away
1. Human-centered computing
  1. Human computer interaction (HCI)
    1. HCI design and evaluation methods
    2. Interaction paradigms

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Published In

Interacting with Computers Volume 19, Issue 3

May, 2007

124 pages

ISSN:0953-5438

EISSN:1873-7951

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Elsevier Science Inc.

United States

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Published: 01 May 2007

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Breitmayer MArnold LWinter MReichert M(2024)Exploring user editing preferences in electronic forms: an empirical studyInformation Systems and e-Business Management10.1007/s10257-023-00662-y22:1(171-207)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10257-023-00662-y
Ferner BGåsøy ANicolaysen MSandnes F(2023)A Comparison of Form Navigation with Tabbing and PointingUniversal Access in Human-Computer Interaction10.1007/978-3-031-35681-0_20(311-318)Online publication date: 23-Jul-2023
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Toxtli CRichmond-Fuller ASavage S(2020)Reputation Agent: Prompting Fair Reviews in Gig MarketsProceedings of The Web Conference 202010.1145/3366423.3380199(1228-1240)Online publication date: 20-Apr-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3366423.3380199
Ge XLi DGuan DXu SSun YZhou M(2019)Do Smart Speakers Respond to Their Errors Properly? A Study on Human-Computer Dialogue StrategyDesign, User Experience, and Usability. User Experience in Advanced Technological Environments10.1007/978-3-030-23541-3_32(440-455)Online publication date: 26-Jul-2019
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Pieterse HGelderblom H(2018)Guidelines for Error Message DesignInternational Journal of Technology and Human Interaction10.4018/IJTHI.201801010514:1(80-98)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
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Seckler MHeinz SBargas-Avila JOpwis KTuch AJones MPalanque PSchmidt AGrossman T(2014)Designing usable web formsProceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/2556288.2557265(1275-1284)Online publication date: 26-Apr-2014
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Seckler MTuch AOpwis KBargas-Avila J(2012)User-friendly locations of error messages in web formsInteracting with Computers10.1016/j.intcom.2012.03.00224:3(107-118)Online publication date: 1-May-2012
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