Summary: Even something as dry and mechanical as a JSON error response can tell us volumes—about digital communication, failed expectations, and how systems shape user behavior. This post unpacks the deeper structure behind what appears to be “just an error,” revealing how businesses overlook critical customer moments. If you’ve ever brushed off a system message as unimportant, it’s time to rethink. Machines talk. The question is—are you listening?
What Was the Text?
At face value, the text in question is brutally plain: a JSON-formatted error message. It typically looks like this:
{
"error": "insufficient_funds",
"message": "Your account does not have enough balance to complete this transaction."
}
That’s not a story, not by traditional standards. There’s no protagonist, no plot twist, no moral dilemma. But calling it “not a narrative” is a surface-level interpretation. Hidden inside that unsigned little sentence is a customer. A blocked action. A failed attempt. An emotional trigger. Someone expected to proceed—and got stopped cold.
The Missed Moment of Human Interaction
Error messages are moments of friction in a user experience. Each one, from a marketing perspective, is a broken promise. The customer intended to do something—they clicked “Buy,” “Transfer,” “Upgrade,” or perhaps just “Continue”—and instead, they hit a wall. A cold message saying, “Nope.”
What does that do to trust? Confidence? Momentum?
This is where many product teams fall flat. They underestimate the emotional charge of interruption. Think about it. Someone tries to complete a transaction, and instead of success, they get accused—subtly—of failing to plan, manage, or afford.
How could your team reframe that moment? What if your system acknowledged the psychological hit, not just the technical condition?
There’s No Story Only If You’re Not Paying Attention
Let’s flip the script. What if you viewed that message like a micro-narrative?
Character: A user trying to take action.
Conflict: System halt due to lack of balance.
Obstacle: Embarrassment, frustration, urgency.
Resolution: None yet—unless you design the next step.
Now we’re back in the world of storytelling. The “error” is just Act II. If you architect the right response—guidance, alternatives, context—you can put Act III into motion. You see, “no story” is really just an unfinished one.
Turning Friction into Loyalty
Let’s walk through a use case. A fintech app triggers this error when users try to transfer money between accounts. What could have been a cold shutdown becomes a tipping point for brand affinity—if handled with tact.
Instead of only returning an error, the UX layer could offer:
- A quick action: “Transfer funds from savings?”
- A reassuring tone: “Looks like you just missed it. No problem.”
- An educational nudge: “Set automated low-balance alerts?”
Now the interruption isn’t a wall—it’s a fork. Each option provides user agency and respect, qualities that deepen trust.
Why This Matters for Marketers and Product Leaders
If you’re running a service, you’re not just in the purchase business. You’re in the moment business. Every interaction is a scene, every click a cue. System messages are part of your UX script—but most companies give them to interns or engineers without training in emotional intelligence or customer psychology.
That’s a risk. Because even though users never expect error messages to sing, they do expect not to feel slapped. Expectations are rising. We’re already seeing social proof in design communities where microcopy and UX writing earn as much discussion as UI colors or layout. Airbnb, Stripe, and Duolingo are just a few of the leaders making these moments shine with personality and care.
If No Story Exists, Make One
The real answer to the assertion “There is no story to extract from the given text” is simple: if the text involves humans, there is always a story. It may be flat, it may be brief, but it’s never zero.
So don’t surrender the opportunity to your back-end stack. Own it. Shape the user’s mind in that moment—because if you don’t, the interruption will do it for you. And it won’t be kind.
You don’t need to wrap this moment in fluff. But you do need to make it useful, personal, and instructional. How can you turn a dead end into a detour? What phrase can affirm the person instead of the failure? How do you recognize what they were trying to achieve?
Isn’t it time your system messages started sounding like you?
#UXWriting #ErrorMessagesMatter #CustomerExperience #BehavioralDesign #MarketingPsychology #ProductLeadership #EmotionalDesign
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Ilya Semenov (6uFROinaC3g)
