Shakespeare once said that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But would it really?

After all, our names are such a central part of our identities. They’re core to who we are and can even influence who we become. But what happens when our names aren’t “valid” according to the technology we interact with? What are we supposed to do when an error message tells us that key parts of our identity are not correct enough to continue?

There’s so much nuance and beauty reflected in people’s identities. How might we avoid othering our users as they move through the experiences we help create?

In this talk, you will:

• Become familiar with some real-world examples of designs that alienate and exclude
• Learn about considerations to keep in mind when writing copy for error states
• Develop a sensitivity around treating “edge cases” as humans who deserve our respect