Related Chapters

• Chapter 4—Establish a Consistent User Interface Style.

The Sample User Interface Guidelines section presents several useful guidelines for message boxes and error messages.

• Chapter 12—Learn from The Design of Everyday Things.

Discusses feedback interfaces and gives several examples. Of the feedback interfaces, message boxes are the most obtrusive.

• Chapter 22—Unnecessary Dialog Boxes Are Evil.

Discusses why unnecessary dialog boxes are undesirable, how to identify unnecessary dialog boxes, and how to eliminate them.

• Chapter 30—Check Your Error Messages.

Gives a list of useful items to check to make sure that your error messages are necessary, helpful, informative, and easy to understand.