UX Principles
Error Recovery
Make errors easy to fix, not punishing. Preserve form data on validation failure. Allow undo. Clearly identify what went wrong and how to fix it. Norman's 'Design of Everyday Things' principle.
In plain terms
Make mistakes easy to fix — keep what people typed, explain clearly what went wrong, and let them undo.
Why this matters
Mistakes are inevitable; punishing them isn't. Losing someone's form data or leaving them unable to fix an error drives abandonment, and disproportionately harms people with motor or cognitive disabilities.