I have long held the belief--and encouraged it in my students and employees--that failures are an essential part of exploration and creativity. If designers and researchers do not sometimes fail, it is a sign that they are not trying hard enough--they are not thinking the great creative thoughts that will provide breakthroughs in how we do things. It is possible to avoid failure, to always be safe. But that is also the route to a dull, uninteresting life. The designs of our products and services must also follow this philosophy. So, to the designers who are reading this, let me give some advice: * Do not blame people when they fail to use your products properly. * Take people's difficulties as signifiers of where the product can be improved. * Eliminate all error messages from electronic or computer systems. Instead, provide help and guidance. * Make it possible to correct problems directly from help and guidance messages. Allow people to continue with their task: Don't impede progress--help make it smooth and continuous. Never make people start over. * Assume that what people have done is partially correct, so if it is inappropriate, provide the guidance that allows them to correct the problem and be on their way. * Think positively, for yourself and for the people you interact with.