People feel bad 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."

"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."

"It wasn't clear on the home page how the site is organized. If I were a regular reader, I'd understand it better."

"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."

"It could be my misunderstanding."

"I was thinking of a more complicated way of doing it, when truly the simple way is still available."

And of course...

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

"If I'd known I'd be on camera, I'd have done my hair."

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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