Summary: When someone tries to extract a story from a JSON error response, they’re setting themselves up for disappointment. There’s no storyline, no character arc, no unfolding drama. What you have is a structured block of technical data pointing out one thing: something’s wrong. Trying to convert this into a narrative is like trying to write a romance novel from your car’s check engine light. Instead, the focus needs to shift. This post unpacks why these kinds of texts are functionally and structurally incapable of containing a story—and why pretending they do invites miscommunication and wasted time.
What JSON Error Responses Actually Are
JSON—JavaScript Object Notation—is a data format used by software systems to exchange information. It’s how one system tells another what happened, not how it feels about it. It’s literally designed for machines, not people. So when you see something like:
{
"error": {
"code": 402,
"name": "Payment Required",
"status": "error",
"message": "Please recharge your account balance."
}
}
There’s no allegory lurking in that. No backstory of how the account ended up empty. No heartbreak. No triumph. Just a status. If you’re trying to squeeze meaning or metaphor out of this, you’re asking the wrong question. Instead, ask: What decision does this data enable me to make?
Why People Mistake Data for Story
Humans gravitate toward narrative. It’s how we process the world. But that instinct can become a liability when we treat signal data as drama. This happens often in user experience design, customer support, and even journalism about tech. The mind tries to explain why something happened and ends up fictionalizing pure facts.
Think about it. Could it be that the error is frustrating because it blocks progress? Or because it points to a failure in planning—like not managing the account balance? Or maybe it confirms a bigger suspicion: that the service isn’t dependable? Whatever the reason, these feelings don’t come from the JSON. They come from the reader.
How Misreading Data Creates Bad Decisions
Trying to rewrite such a message into a story distorts decision-making. Let’s say you work in operations and get a JSON error like the one above. If you react like a novelist—”What unfortunate series of events led this balance to run dry?”—you’ll waste time constructing causes instead of fixing outcomes.
That’s dangerous, especially in environments where time and accuracy matter. Worse, you frame the problem emotionally instead of operationally. And while emotions have their place, infrastructure doesn’t care about narrative.
JSON Errors Follow a Syntax, Not a Plot
Every error response carries data structured for utility: code, message, possibly a trace ID or debugging info. These elements follow logic, not plot. Nothing escalates. Nothing resolves. The system isn’t learning a lesson—it’s issuing an alert. Like a fire alarm blaring “smoke”—you don’t need to write a short story about who lit the match. You need to put it out.
Where True Storytelling Belongs in Data Work
Now, that’s not to say storytelling has no place in tech. It does—but in a different role. Use it when presenting insights drawn from data over time. Use it in case studies, in visual dashboards, and in retrospective analyses. Tell stories when you have patterns to explain, outcomes to reflect on, or behavior to examine. Don’t force a story where only a status exists. That shifts clarity into confusion.
If your analytics stack produces regular error logs, don’t waste time fictionalizing them. Instead, build documentation that teaches readers how to interpret and respond. That’s where real clarity—and real value—live: not in drama, but in actionable knowledge.
Acknowledging Frustration Without Encouraging Fiction
And if you’re the one encountering these error messages repeatedly? Yes, it may feel like you’re the victim in a bad story. Maybe it even confirms your suspicion that the service is more interested in compliance than reliability. That frustration is real. Empathize with it. But don’t let it drive you to solve an imagined narrative. Better to ask: “What’s the next move?” or “What’s causing this—technically, not emotionally?”
Using Chris Voss’s negotiation lens, this is where labeling and tactical empathy come in. “It seems like this kind of error has made it hard to trust the system.” You’re not agreeing—but you’re building a bridge. And once trust is reestablished, you’re positioned to solve the underlying architectural issue, instead of fictional problems.
No Story Isn’t a Failure—It’s Precision
We need to stop thinking every communication must entertain or inspire. Some must inform. That’s it. JSON error responses are pure information. They help engineers debug. They help operations teams react. They help systems function faster by saying, bluntly, “This broke, fix it.”
This bluntness isn’t a design flaw. It’s a feature. It saves time. It avoids ambiguity. For people who make systems run, that precision is more valuable than narrative charm. So when you see “402 – Payment Required,” don’t lament the lack of plot. Just recharge the account. That’s the whole point.
Let’s stop pretending every message in a technical system deserves a human storyline. Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do is accept the data as-is and act. Save the narrative craft for places where humans need to be persuaded, inspired, or consoled—not when they just need to be informed.
#UXDesign #DataLiteracy #TechCommunication #ErrorHandling #JSON #NoStoryHere #OperationalClarity #DigitalIntegrity
Featured Image courtesy of Unsplash and Markus Spiske (bMvuh0YQQ68)
