Most design systems have one empty state component, and it’s usually the wrong one.
Open almost any design system and find the empty state. There’ll be a little illustration, a headline, a line of copy and maybe a button, and the same one gets used everywhere.
That’s how you end up telling someone who just cleared their whole inbox how to get started.
An empty screen can mean very different things, and the person looking at it feels different each time. Someone brand new has nothing yet, so they need to know what this space is for and what to do first. This is the empty state that moves business numbers, because a confusing first screen is where a lot of people leave.
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Create your first projectSomeone who just finished everything is in a great mood. Don’t ruin it with onboarding copy. Tell them they’re done and get out of the way.
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If you searched and got nothing, you’re a bit frustrated and wondering if you did it wrong. You already know the product, so you need help getting unstuck, like a quick way to clear your filters.
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Clear all filtersThen there’s the screen that’s empty because something broke. Say what happened and tell them what to do next, without making it sound like their fault. “Something went wrong” on its own doesn’t tell anyone anything.
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Try againAnd the one nobody designs on purpose: the content exists, but this person isn’t allowed to see it. Enterprise products are full of these, and they usually look exactly like an error or a first-use screen. Users can’t tell whether to wait or ask someone, so they file a support ticket.
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Request accessSo I document these as separate patterns, each with its own copy rules and its own next step. Before any empty state ships, I want to know why it’s empty and how the person feels when they see it. Then I give them one useful thing to do.
One more opinion while I’m here. The illustration is decoration. It sets the mood, and I like a good one, but the copy does the actual work. If you only have time for one, write the words.
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