Moment
empty_state
Zero data, no results. Helpful, suggest next action.
Weights
ContentRX adjusts how strictly each standard is enforced in this moment. Cross-reference any standard by its ID to read the full rule.
Emphasized — flag more aggressively
ACT-01— Start button and CTA text with a verb. Tell the user what will happen. Navigation labels, tabs, section headings, and confirmation or status messages are not CTAs — patterns like 'Project created' or 'Payment sent' are valid confirmation copy and should not be flagged.
Empty states should guide the user to a first action.VT-02— Address the user directly with 'you' and 'your' in consumer-facing UI copy. Third-person references to 'users,' 'members,' or 'customers' are acceptable in admin interfaces, documentation, and system descriptions where the reader is not the subject.
Use 'you/your' to make the empty state feel personal, not broken.ACT-04— Make the next step obvious. Every screen should have a clear primary action.
Empty states need concrete next steps — don't leave the user stranded.
Relaxed — minor deviations acceptable
GRM-03— Use exclamation points sparingly. Never use more than one at a time, and never in error messages or alerts.
A friendly exclamation in an empty state is encouraging, not excessive.
Example pairs
Concrete "this, not that" examples observed in 1 style guides. Attribution is inline — see /ethics for the commitment and /sources for the full list.
CLR-01· short_ui_copyall-rights-reservedNot this. No data available.
But this. No orders yet. They'll show up here as they come in.
Polaris empty-state principles: name what's missing, set expectations, point at next action. — Shopify Polaris · Empty states
ACT-01· button_ctaall-rights-reservedNot this. Get started
But this. Import products
Polaris: empty-state CTAs should be specific — what CAN the user do right now? — Shopify Polaris · Empty states — Next action