Error Prevention Recovery

Community

Owl-Listener

error-prevention-recovery

Design error prevention, error messages, and recovery flows for cognitive accessibility. Use when designing forms, checkout flows, account creation, settings, data entry, or any flow where users can make mistakes. Triggers on: error handling, error messages, form errors, validation, users make mistakes, users abandon, error recovery, undo, forgiving design.

Overview

Publisher	Owl-Listener
Repository	`inclusive-design-skills`
Skill name	`error-prevention-recovery`
Stars	108
Forks	28
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
Self-contained
Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.
Open source
Published by Owl-Listener on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Error Prevention Recovery AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/Owl-Listener/inclusive-design-skills/tree/main/cognitive-accessibility/skills/error-prevention-recovery
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Store

Installed

Skills

Add skills

Import one or more skills from a public GitHub folder or a local .skill or .zip archive, or SKILL.md file.

From GitHub URLFrom .skill, .zip, or SKILL.md

GitHub repo or folder

https://github.com/Owl-Listener/inclusive-design-skills/tree/main/cognitive-accessibility/skills/error-prevention-recovery

Points to a single skill folder, or any folder that contains multiple skills. Public repos only.

CancelContinue

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/Owl-Listener/inclusive-design-skills.git /tmp/inclusive-design-skills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/inclusive-design-skills/cognitive-accessibility/skills/error-prevention-recovery .claude/skills/error-prevention-recovery

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Error Prevention Recovery in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Error Prevention Recovery on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Error Prevention Recovery is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Error Prevention and Recovery

Design systems that prevent errors before they happen, and when errors do occur, help people recover without shame, confusion, or lost work.

Prevention Strategies

Forgiving Input

Accept multiple date formats ("15/03/2026", "15 March 2026", "March 15, 2026")
Accept multiple phone formats ("(555) 123-4567", "555-123-4567", "5551234567")
Auto-format as the user types
Case-insensitive matching
Trim whitespace automatically
Show format examples next to fields ("e.g., 15/03/2026")

Smart Defaults

Pre-select the most common option
Pre-fill known information (name from account, address from postcode)
Show the recommended choice for complex decisions
Default to the safest option for irreversible settings

Progressive Validation

Validate each field when the user moves to the next (on blur)
Show success states for correctly completed fields
Never validate while the user is still typing
Never clear user input on error — always preserve their work

Minimal Demands

Only ask for information you strictly need
Mark optional fields, not required ones (most fields should be required by design — if they aren't needed, remove them)
Break long forms into steps with clear progress

Error Message Design

Every error message must answer three questions:

What happened? (specific, not generic)
Why? (in plain language)
What do I do now? (a clear, single action)

Examples

Bad: "Invalid input" Good: "Please enter a date in the format DD/MM/YYYY — for example, 15/03/2026"

Bad: "Error 403" Good: "You don't have permission to view this page. Contact your team admin to request access."

Bad: "Password does not meet requirements" Good: "Your password needs at least 8 characters and one number. You have 6 characters."

Error Message Tone

Never blame the user ("You entered an invalid email")
State the situation neutrally ("We need a valid email to continue")
Be specific about what needs to change
Offer an alternative path when possible

Recovery Design

Undo available for at least 10 seconds after any action
Confirmation before destructive actions with useful detail: "Delete 'Project Alpha'? This removes all 23 files. This cannot be undone."
Preview before submission for any consequential action
Save progress automatically in long flows
Alternative path when primary path fails: "Can't upload a photo? You can describe what you see instead."

Frequently asked questions

What does the Error Prevention Recovery AI skill do?

Why use Error Prevention Recovery on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Error Prevention Recovery is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Error Prevention Recovery in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/Owl-Listener/inclusive-design-skills/tree/main/cognitive-accessibility/skills/error-prevention-recovery. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Error Prevention Recovery?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Error Prevention Recovery?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Error Prevention Recovery with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Error Prevention Recovery AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by Owl-Listener under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Error Prevention and Recovery

Prevention Strategies

Forgiving Input

Smart Defaults

Progressive Validation

Minimal Demands

Error Message Design

Examples

Error Message Tone

Recovery Design

Frequently asked questions

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