Introduction
Error states appear when something goes wrong—failed uploads, invalid input, lost connections, missing pages. Unlike empty states (which guide users forward), error states must explain what happened, take appropriate responsibility, and help users recover.
This analysis examines how 10 leading enterprise systems (Notion, Slack, Figma, Linear, GitHub, Stripe, Retool, Atlassian, Asana, Airtable) handle errors across different contexts: form validation, file uploads, network failures, 404 pages, permission denials, and system errors.
The most effective error states follow a consistent formula: specific problem description + clear recovery action. Systems that use generic "Something went wrong" messages leave users stranded—83% of enterprise errors include explicit next steps.