People feel stupid when they make mistakes

These are quotations from users in real usability studies over the years. People blame themselves no matter how bad the software is.

"Back here again. Why are we here? Why are we back? Because we failed. We’re being punished."

"It's not your fault that you don't understand that." "Of course it is!"

"Oh, that was the wrong mouse button. What a dope!"

"This is my error...I have a habit of not reading things completely, so it’s not the system. It’s the user."

"Did I always know what to do next? No, but I attributed that to my lack of computer savvy-ness."

"My ignorance of the Web is showing. They’re going ‘She’s a moron’ back there [in
the observation room]."

"If I were more savvy, I’d understand this."

"I don’t know what ‘in-depth information’ means. I might just be being stupid."

"I'm sure it's there... but I'm sure it's just my lack of knowledge."

"I didn't break it!"

"Maybe it's just me... I feel like a moron now."

And of course...

"They’re watching me on video? I’d have gotten a manicure if I’d have known that."

NO! NO! It's not your fault. (Not even if your fingernails are ragged.) If the software lets you do something, then it's OK to do it. It's the software that should change.

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