Turning an Error Into Engagement

Turning an Error Into Engagement

Turning an Error Into Engagement

We identified a key usability issue and created an error message that not only explained the problem but also offered clear paths forward, ensuring users stayed engaged in their shopping experience.

We identified a key usability issue and created an error message that not only explained the problem but also offered clear paths forward, ensuring users stayed engaged in their shopping experience.

We identified a key usability issue and created an error message that not only explained the problem but also offered clear paths forward, ensuring users stayed engaged in their shopping experience.

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TrueToForm's 3D Fit Widget

Ever second-guessed what size to order when shopping online? You’re not alone—42% of online returns happen due to fit issues, with many shoppers resorting to bracketing (buying multiple sizes to try at home). For retailers, this translates to billions in lost revenue annually.

TrueToForm (TTF) is solving this problem with its 3D Fit Widget, a tool that predicts garment fit based on body measurements. Originally designed for made-to-measure clothing, TTF now helps shoppers confidently find their ideal size through:

Survey Avatars: AI-generated avatars based on similar body data.
Body Scans: Personalized avatars created from a quick phone scan for precise sizing.
the challenge

No Avatar, No Explanation

Say you’re excited to finally try out TrueToForm’s body scan feature. You carefully follow the steps to do a scan. The app tells you it’s processing your avatar… but then, nothing. Just a loading screen that never ends.

Did something go wrong? Should you start over? You don’t know. You close the tab, frustrated—Maybe this just doesn’t work.

Why Body Scans Fail– And Why User’s Don’t Know it

The Technical Issue: Most scans fail due to being in a poorly lit, cluttered space or from wearing loose clothing

The UX Problem: Users who experience a failed body scan receive no feedback or next steps, leaving them confused, frustrated, and more likely to abandon the experience altogether.

We needed to solve for:

  • Confusion- They don’t know if they should retry or abandon the process altogether.

  • Frustration- They invested time and got nothing in return.

Our Goal: Create Opportunity From Failure

Instead of just saying "error occurred", we wanted to:

  • Clearly communicate the failure.

  • Provide a next step that didn’t feel like starting over.

  • Make it feel like progress, not a setback.

my role

UX Designer

As the UX Designer, my focus was on creating a seamless recovery experience that balanced user trust with client goals.

I collaborated closely with the Lead UX Researcher, two developers, and the Founder and Co-Founder, working intensively over two weeks to tackle this critical challenge and deliver a user-centered solution.

the approach

From Empathy to a Solution

To design an effective recovery experience, we first had to deeply understand the pain points users faced. Our process unfolded in three key phases:

  1. Understanding the Pain Points: We started by empathizing with users and analyzing past research insights to deeply understand their frustrations and needs.

  1. Ideated & Sketched Concepts: Armed with these insights, we rapidly brainstormed solutions and turned ideas into rough sketches (some better than others).

  1. Presented & Iterated: Iteratively developed concepts into functional prototypes, incorporating feedback to refine designs that strike the rickety balance between clarity, simplicity, and technical feasibility.

The process wasn’t linear, and we faced challenges balancing user trust with simplicity. But persistence (and a bit of stubbornness) led to a solution that, while not perfect, was thoughtful and a big step forward.

Endless Iterations

Below are just a few of the many iterations we explored to address the scan failure issue.

An Error Banner

Being sent back to the start after the effort of completing the scan → Could be frustrating to go backwards

Auto-Switching to a Survey-Based Avatar

Wanting to reward the user by giving them a recommendation from a survey avatar → Users may close pop-up without reading it and be confused—where did this result even come from?

A transparent error message

Communicating why the scan failed while giving the user a way to try again → Failutes are frustrating, and this is not meeting our goal of giving a user an alt opportunity

Descript

Each idea failed in different ways—either by disappointing users or confusing them.

Each idea failed in different ways—either by disappointing users or confusing them.

Each idea failed in different ways—either by disappointing users or confusing them.

Through these iterations, we learned what didn’t work. So, what did?

The Solution

Error State, But Make It Delightful

Solution: Instead of just showing an error, we acknowledged their effort and gave them a choice:

  • Retry the scan or

  • Accept a survey-based avatar, clearly labeled as an estimate.

Educating Users (Why the Scan Failed) and Enabling a Quick Retry
Switching to a Survey Avatar for Instant Results

Key UX Decisions:

  • Highlight user inputs (height, weight, age) to show where the estimated avatar came from.

  • Use clear, thoughtful messaging to avoid confusion and build trust.

What We Predict

Below are our predictions, but only testing with users will tell us if our solution is successful or not.

Predicted Outcomes

Users feel less frustrated because their effort still leads to a result.

Fewer users abandon the process.

Users understand the difference between a scan-based and survey-based avatar.

Potential Risks

Do users truly understand the difference between the two avatar types?

Does this reduce trust in the accuracy of the tool?

Is this more helpful than just prompting them to retry?

Reflection

What This Taught Us 

  • About designing error states: Failure messaging needs to be as carefully designed as success messaging.

  • What we’d do differently if we had more time: Run a usability test comparing engagement rates between different recovery flows.

  • Moving forward: Only testing will tell.

In a perfect world, scans would never fail. But in the real world, things break. The real UX challenge isn’t just making things work—it’s designing for when they don’t.

Need a thoughtful designer?

Get in touch

Need a thoughtful designer?

Get in touch

Need a thoughtful designer?

Get in touch
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Joanna Corona

UX/UI Designer

Joanna is a NYC-based product designer, most recently at fashion tech startup TrueToForm, where adaptability and innovation drove her work.

Black and white avatar

Joanna Corona

UX/UI Designer

Joanna is a NYC-based product designer, most recently at fashion tech startup TrueToForm, where adaptability and innovation drove her work.

Black and white avatar

Joanna Corona

UX/UI Designer

Joanna is a NYC-based product designer, most recently at fashion tech startup TrueToForm, where adaptability and innovation drove her work.