Summary: Not every input a system encounters is meaningful or usable from a marketing or storytelling standpoint. When the data provided is a direct machine-readable response—like a JSON error message—it lacks the structure, characters, or progression that builds a genuine narrative. A common situation in API development illustrates this sharply: a returned JSON object signals a failed transaction due to an insufficient account balance. Trying to fabricate a story from that is a waste of time and misdirects effort better spent on diagnosing system architecture, UX efficiency, or business rules set by product owners.
What We’re Actually Looking At
When one receives a message along the lines of:
{ "error": "Insufficient balance", "code": 402 }
—what’s happening here is not storytelling. This is protocol. What you’re seeing is an API mechanism doing its job correctly: protecting the system, enforcing boundaries, and alerting the user or developer that they’ve tried to perform an unauthorized transaction. There is no protagonist, no arc, no transformation. It’s a strict handshake between software components governed by rules, not improvisation.
Why This Can’t Be Rewritten as a Story
Let’s call it what it is: some people try to turn everything into a creative narrative. That’s fine when the material contains human conflict or transformation. But if you’re working with operational data like this, here’s a hard truth: the story you’re trying to manufacture doesn’t exist. Not every piece of content can be repurposed for engagement or inspiration.
Trying to ‘extract a story’ from a response code is like opening a server room and expecting to find a fairy tale inside. You’re confusing function with form. The content’s purpose is communication between machines, not motivation, instruction, or entertainment. What value would there be in rewriting an error as a dramatized moment? Product teams don’t need dramatization—they need resolution.
Still… What Can Be Done With It?
The more productive path is not narrative—but process optimization. The JSON output confirms that the system did what it should do. What’s the underlying challenge here? Is this error occurring too frequently? Is the messaging clear enough for the user or developer to understand action steps? Can the interface show a real-time balance update before the transaction is attempted? These questions form the foundation of good development and better UX—not fiction.
Another angle concerns documentation. While the API may work from a software POV, it may not be serving the user experience. Is the error message aligned with business logic and expectations? Is “Insufficient Balance” the most helpful phrasing, or should there be tiers with actionable instructions?
If users constantly trigger this 402 error, your system isn’t guiding behaviour—it’s throwing a wall in their face. What’s the fallback? What’s the redirect strategy? That’s where smart design, not pointless storytelling, needs to step in.
This Is Not a Failure of Creativity
Let’s be fair: pushing for narrative meaning where there is none is not the failure—it’s the signal. It tells us people expect systems to communicate like humans. That matters. But the solution is better interface feedback, not embellishing machine-language errors and calling it content.
When you think like a product owner or business analyst, the story here is not in the string—it’s in the context. Why does the user frequently hit this non-sufficient balance? Are we putting them in a position to expect approval when the outcome is rejection? Frustration isn’t caused by the error itself, but what it implies: unmet expectations, system opacity, or lack of guidance.
Conclusion—Keep the Message Functional
If you’re handed raw JSON, requesting a rewrite into something dramatic implies a misunderstanding of function. It’s not lazy—it’s misplaced effort. Focus less on forcing a story and more on decoding the context of interaction. Use that clarity to improve workflows, APIs, interfaces, and user trust. Functions don’t need flair; they need frictionless paths and predictable outcomes.
In a world loaded with buzzwords and manufactured sentiment, clarity and respect for purpose win every time. If there’s no story in the data, don’t invent one. Fix what needs fixing and move forward. Build systems that anticipate human misunderstanding—and design not just for logic, but for comprehension.
#UserExperience #APIDesign #UXWriting #ProductDevelopment #SystemErrorHandling #NoStoryJustFunction #JSONResponseClarified
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Markus Spiske (PW06YafLMKM)
