As discussed in class, error pages can be something overlooked or forgotten in the formation of a website and its content. As an example, myGCC has done a poor job of this and redirects users all the time when an error occurrs.
A typical example of an error page is a 404. Typically, 404 error pages can show up in four separate ways, the first being that the page was intentionally deleted or renamed by the creator of the website. Sometimes, the page is not doing well or needs some work done to it so the webmaster will take it down and change the name after resulting in the 404 error. Another way that this page is shown is if the same scenario was performed to the website but unintentionally. This will in turn throw the same error page.
Third, and this can be a very common reason for a 404 error being thrown, the user typed in the URL incorrectly. Because of the lengths of the URLs and the complicated nature of them, one character may be inserted in the wrong place resulting in another 404 error coming up.
Lastly, there can be an error in an inbound link that will direct the user to a page that has not existed before. This will also throw another 404 error at the user because of its qualifications.
Since there are so many ways that a 404 error can be thrown, it is important to make sure that the error coming up details the reason why it happened and does not leave the person in the dark. If this does happen, then it can greatly decrease the user’s experience and leave them wondering what happened and not want to use the site again.
2 Responses
You make a really strong point about how error pages—especially 404s—are often overlooked, even though they play a major role in user experience. Your example of myGCC is a good one, because frequent redirects or unclear errors can quickly frustrate users, especially in a system students rely on regularly.
I also like how clearly you broke down the four common causes of 404 errors. Highlighting both intentional and unintentional page changes, along with user input errors and broken inbound links, shows that these issues aren’t always the fault of the user or the webmaster alone. It reinforces why error handling needs to be proactive rather than reactive.
A 404 page can really impact a user’s experience. Some pages are very plain and give little information, which can be frustrating for visitors. Fun 404s (that are still informative) can keep users engaged while still notifying them of the issue.