Empty states that respect the user
Last updated: June 2026
Empty states are the screens or sections shown when there is no data or content yet. Thoughtful empty states respect the user by reducing anxiety, providing clear next steps, and turning potential frustration into a moment of orientation and delight.
The Principle
Empty states are inevitable. New users, cleared accounts, filtered searches, or fresh projects all create moments with no content. Most designs treat these as afterthoughts — a generic illustration and “No results found” text — missing a critical opportunity. These moments are often a user’s first deep impression of a product. They set the emotional tone and either help users move forward confidently or leave them feeling lost.
A respectful empty state does three things well: it acknowledges the absence without blame, orients the user with clear and encouraging next actions, and maintains the product’s personality without forcing marketing messages. It reduces cognitive load at a moment when the user is already uncertain. Poor empty states add friction, confusion, or subtle guilt (“You have no projects yet”), while good ones feel like a helpful guide.
In my own work, I used to treat empty states as low-priority polish. After watching users hesitate or abandon flows in testing because they didn’t know what to do next, I started giving them real attention. One small project where we redesigned the empty dashboard to include a clear “Start your first project” flow with examples increased activation rates noticeably. The empty state stopped being wasted space and became an active onboarding surface.
Why It Matters for Design & Building
Empty states are high-leverage moments. They occur when user uncertainty is highest, making them perfect opportunities to build trust and reduce drop-off. A well-designed empty state turns potential abandonment into momentum. A poor one amplifies confusion and makes the product feel incomplete or unfriendly.
As a Design Engineer, I now consider empty states an essential part of any new feature or screen. In one task management tool, the default empty project view previously showed only a sad illustration and vague prompt. Replacing it with a curated selection of templates, a prominent “Create your first task” button, and a short explanatory note reduced time-to-first-action significantly. Users felt guided rather than dropped into nothingness.
Respectful empty states are also a calm technology practice. They avoid adding stress during vulnerable moments and help users maintain a sense of agency. The honest lesson from shipping products is that ignoring empty states is one of the quickest ways to lose users who were otherwise interested. Thoughtful ones can be quiet differentiators that users remember and appreciate.
Real-World Examples
Notion handles empty states particularly well. When you create a new page or database, it offers helpful templates, inline prompts, and a friendly tone that feels like guidance from a thoughtful colleague rather than a blank void. Users rarely feel stuck.
Many e-commerce search results pages illustrate the opposite. A stark “No products found” message with no suggestions, filters adjustment prompts, or alternative recommendations leaves users frustrated and more likely to leave the site entirely.
A project management app I worked on offered a mixed case. The initial empty board was minimalist to a fault — just a big empty space. After adding example cards, a clear call-to-action, and a short “What you can do here” note, new users became productive much faster and reported feeling welcomed rather than overwhelmed by the blank slate.
References
- Saffer, D. (2010). Designing for Interaction. New Riders. (On empty states and onboarding).
- NN/g: Empty States. nngroup.com
- Wroblewski, L. (2008). Web Form Design. Rosenfeld Media. (Related principles for guidance in zero-data states).
- Case, A. (2015). Calm Technology. O'Reilly Media.
- Higgins, K. (2020). Better Onboarding. A Book Apart.
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