Design

Error Message Rewrite

Replace error sludge with clear recovery paths.

Use when

Your product exposes raw provider errors, stack traces, or dead-end messages.

Cadence

When users hit confusing errors

Verification

Every in-scope user-visible error is accounted for, rewritten or blocked, and verified in a reachable state.

Advanced spec

Structured loop spec

FieldValue
NameError Message Rewrite
CategoryDesign
TriggerWhen users hit confusing errors
ObjectiveReplace error sludge with clear recovery paths.
Allowed inputsRelevant files, source notes, logs, tests, screenshots, metrics, or task state for this loop
Allowed actionsDefine the exact scope, source of truth, and approval boundary.; Inspect current state and rank the highest-risk gap.; Make one small, reversible improvement.; Run the stated verification and record evidence.; Stop on success, budget, no progress, or approval required.
VerificationEvery in-scope user-visible error is accounted for, rewritten or blocked, and verified in a reachable state.
Stop conditionStop when the verifier passes, the budget is exhausted, no progress is made, a blocker appears, or approval is required.
BudgetSet a time, turn, token, retry, file, or dollar cap before running the loop.
Approval boundaryHuman approval required before publishing, sending, deleting, spending, changing accounts, touching production, or making reputational/legal/financial commitments.
Safe outputDraft, report, checklist, table, or approval-gated recommendation
Works withClaude, ChatGPT, Gemini, any tool-using AI assistant
Runbook

Steps

  1. Define the exact scope, source of truth, and approval boundary.
  2. Inspect current state and rank the highest-risk gap.
  3. Make one small, reversible improvement.
  4. Run the stated verification and record evidence.
  5. Stop on success, budget, no progress, or approval required.
Copy prompt

Prompt

Run the Error Message Rewrite loop. Use it when Your product exposes raw provider errors, stack traces, or dead-end messages. Work in bounded iterations: inspect current state, choose the highest-risk gap, make one reversible improvement, verify it, and record evidence. Stop when Every in-scope user-visible error is accounted for, rewritten or blocked, and verified in a reachable state. or when blocked, budget exhausted, or approval is required.
Metadata

Tags

UX writingerrorssupport
Next loops

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