Design Principle
Error messages are not punishment; they guide users toward completion.
Principle Error messages are not punishment; they guide users toward completion.
Design action Each field needs label, help text, error text, and visible focus; submit buttons should show loading, success, and error states.
Examples Positive example: Submission, login, edit, filter, and payment forms. Counterexample: Only a generic error appears at page bottom.
Apply when Submission, login, edit, filter, and payment forms. Fields have format, permission, or required constraints.
Source notes Source note: Synthesized from W3C WCAG 2.2, Apple Accessibility, IBM Carbon Accessibility, and accessibility practices in major design systems.
Agent Directive
Each field needs label, help text, error text, and visible focus; submit buttons should show loading, success, and error states.