Summary: Not every piece of text contains a story, and that’s not a failure—it’s a function. When audiences misinterpret technical data, especially in structured formats like JSON error messages, they confuse form with content. The belief that everything ought to be transformed into a narrative is a kind of lazy thinking that's fueling poor decision-making in technical marketing, SaaS UX design, and client communications. This article sharpens the lens.
What You’re Looking At Isn’t a Story—It’s a System Response
Let’s cut through the fluff. When you see a JSON message like this:
{
"error": {
"code": "INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS",
"message": "Your account balance is too low to complete this transaction."
}
}
…you’re not seeing a plot. You’re looking at a flag, a structured indicator that something went wrong. No protagonist. No rising tension. No climax or resolution. This is transactional data, not Hamlet. So why are so many people trying to rewrite these messages like they’re Grimm’s fairy tales?
Fantasy Isn’t Function: Why Rewriting Isn’t Always Smart
The urge to wrap everything into a narrative might feel comforting—stories fire up our brains, make data digestible, and appeal to the limbic system—but reality sometimes demands clarity, not creativity. When developers or users receive a message like “INSUFFICIENT_FUNDS,” there’s already emotional weight: embarrassment, frustration, urgency. Rewriting this as a feel-good user tale isn’t just tone-deaf—it’s dangerous. It can obscure the core action required: fix the account balance.
Rewriting assumes the audience lacks the competence or patience to engage with direct information. That’s a risky assumption, and it breaks two persuasive principles: Authority and Commitment. Instead of reinforcing trust, it condescends. Would you rather your bank told you you’re “momentarily unable to access your financial freedom” or that you’re flat broke until something gets topped up?
The Real Client Pain Point Isn’t the Message—It’s the Error
Let’s call out the actual problem here. The discomfort isn’t from the JSON format or the bluntness. It’s from the failed transaction. That failure causes a hiccup in trust, workflow, and momentum. Trying to fix this with prettier language is like painting racing stripes on a broken-down car.
Stop thinking you’re soothing the user by changing the style. Instead, address the reality behind the message. Why was the balance low? What options does the user have? How fast can the issue be resolved? That’s where empathy, framed properly, builds loyalty—not in rewording an error code into a bedtime story.
Why Transparency Wins Over Tone
Marketing isn’t about spin—it’s about clarity that compels. When systems fail, especially in high-trust platforms like fintech, crypto, or SaaS subscriptions, the worst thing you can do is hide behind emotional packaging. Instead, lean into the technical truth and show you respect the user's intelligence. Say exactly what happened. Offer choices. Be factual first and always allow your user to opt out or ask questions.
Chris Voss reminds us that “No” is one of the most powerful tools in communication. This kind of message—“Your account can’t do that transaction because it’s empty”—is a technical “No.” It’s honest, functional, and protective. Don’t dress it up. Instead, ask follow-up questions:
- What led to this shortfall?
- What are the available steps to resolve it?
- Can the user preempt this from happening again?
These questions drive real dialogue and problem-solving. That’s persuasion aligned with intelligence and respect—not manipulation.
User Trust is Earned Through Functionality, Not Fiction
Reframing a JSON error as a story doesn’t make the system better—it risks turning serious users away. What they want is responsiveness, not relatability. There’s plenty of room upstream in the UX for brand voice, emotional tone, and a welcoming experience. That’s the job of onboarding sequences, client education, or drip email campaigns. But when something fails? Respect your user by getting to the point.
You build trust not by spinning failure into flowers but by showing up with fast recovery, emotional awareness, and useful decisions. Voss’s mirroring strategy supports this: repeat back what the system just did in human terms. For example:
“So the system blocked the payment because of low balance… what do we need to get that unblocked?”
This shows competence, clarity, and makes you a collaborator—not a storyteller protecting feelings. That’s persuasive, actionable, and non-condescending.
When Style Gets in the Way of Solving the Problem
No one is saying brand tone doesn’t matter. But if you inject it where precise communication is critical, you’re not helping. You’re signaling that you'd rather appear clever than be useful. Would you trust an airline whose emergency exit instructions were cast as a mini-drama? How would you feel if your healthcare app rewrote a prescription refill error in haiku?
Weight matters. Audience matters. Domain matters. If you're working with clients, users, or stakeholders who rely on accuracy, then clarity takes precedence over charm—always.
Walking the Line: Technical Precision With Human Empathy
So, where’s the balance? Here’s what professionals should do instead of rewriting technical messages as stories:
- Translate, don’t transform: Help the user understand what happened, why it happened, and what to do next—without dressing it up.
- Position yourself as their navigator: Use empathy, not euphemism. Show you’re on their side without patronizing.
- Communicate consequence without shame: Frame failures as signals, not moral lapses. That preserves dignity and encourages action.
- Always offer a choice: Can they ask for help? Retry later? Refill the account? Give control where you can.
When system messages become part of user communication, marketers and UX writers have a responsibility to serve clarity first. Your brand isn’t weakened by short, sharp language. It’s strengthened by its respect for user understanding and time.
If it’s just data, let it be just data. The real story comes from how you respond to it.
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Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Ilya Semenov (6uFROinaC3g)