G29 Warning and Alerts

Include:

Definition

This component communicates notifications, alerts, or errors to the users. See specs for variation-specific usage info.

Usage

This component should only be used in an overall context of user interaction. General rules for writing style:

  • Tell user what went wrong and then what to do.
  • Use active voice, if possible. Use words that are unambivalent and succinct.
  • Use complete sentences with punctuation. Do NOT:
    • Say please.
    • Shorten words or use contractions.
    • Explain underlying technology.
    • Require user to look up something in a book.
    • Require user to follow multiple links to interpret message.
    • Use exclamation points.
  • Use Click, Select, Choose appropriately:
    • Click is for clicking links and buttons. "Click OK to continue."
    • Select is for picking something from a list, or highlighting something in a window, including check boxes: "Select the Owner check box."
    • Choose opens a menu. "Choose New from the File menu."

v0 Error Message

Tells what the user did incorrectly and how to rectify the situation. Error messages are the result of a user action.

This is an error message. To fix this go here and do something.


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v1 Notification Message

Provides feedback or acknowledgement to user after completing a task; can suggest an action to the user, but do not use if an action is required of the user to proceed.

This is a notification message.


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v2 Alert Message

Two usage scenarios:

  1. High impact notification that the user must know about, even though no action is required.
  2. High impact notification that the user must know about, requiring user action.

This is an alert message.


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v3 Success Message

Informs the user that no problems have occurred or have been detected. This must only appear as the result of a user action.

This is a success message.


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