So, I think there is something to be said for communicating if the problem occurred because of user input or because of a problem in the application. “Well this

So, I think there is something to be said for communicating if the problem occurred because of user input or because of a problem in the application. “Well this is awkward” doesn’t do that very well, but I’ve seen cutesy error messages like “oops, our fault!” that get that across pretty well. Of course the next thing it should say is what to do next to cancel/remediate whatever went wrong in clear/authoritative language. (Purchase was not completed to ensure you will not be double charged, you can safely try again in 5 minutes) An error like “An error on the server occurred” can sometimes sound serious enough that users believe they somehow caused it, even if it explicitly states it’s not their fault. I think you can be cutesy, but clear.