One of the most overlooked parts of product design is also one of the first things many users see.

The empty state.

A screen with no projects.

An inbox with no messages.

A dashboard with no data.

A search that returns nothing.

At first glance, an empty state looks like a small UX detail. In reality, it can shape what users think about your product, what they do next, and whether they understand how to get value from it.

I’ve learned that an empty screen isn’t really “empty.”

It’s an opportunity to guide behaviour.

Empty Doesn’t Always Mean the Same Thing

One mistake product teams make is treating every empty state the same way.

But there are different reasons a screen might have nothing to display.

A new user may see an empty dashboard because they haven’t created anything yet.

An experienced user might see it because they completed all their tasks.

Someone searching for information might see it because there are no matching results.

Technically, all three screens are empty.

Psychologically, they’re completely different experiences.

That’s why the message and action should reflect the reason behind the empty state.

Silence Creates Uncertainty

Imagine opening a product for the first time and seeing:

“No data available.”

What are you supposed to do?

Did something go wrong?

Do you need to create something?

Is the account configured incorrectly?

The product hasn’t necessarily failed, but it has created uncertainty.

I’ve seen that uncertainty become a surprisingly big barrier during onboarding.

Users don’t always need more instructions.

Sometimes they simply need to understand what the screen means and what they should do next.

A Good Empty State Answers Three Questions

When designing an empty state, I usually think about three things:

What is this?

Explain what the user is looking at.

Why is it empty?

Give them enough context to understand the current state.

What should I do next?

Provide a clear action.

For example, instead of:

“No projects found.”

You could say:

“You haven’t created a project yet. Create your first project to start organizing your work.”

Then give the user a clear Create Project action.

The difference is small.

The experience is much better.

Empty States Can Create Momentum

One thing I’ve noticed is that good empty states can turn a blank screen into an invitation.

A new user doesn’t have anything to see yet.

That’s actually an opportunity.

You can show an example.

Provide a template.

Suggest a first action.

Explain what they’ll get once they complete it.

The empty state becomes part of the onboarding experience rather than a dead end.

Instead of saying:

“There’s nothing here.”

You’re effectively saying:

“Here’s where you can start.”

Don’t Overdesign the Empty State

It’s easy to get carried away.

Illustrations, animations, clever copy, and multiple calls to action can make an empty state look impressive.

But the goal isn’t to entertain the user.

It’s to reduce uncertainty.

If the user needs to create something, make that action obvious.

If there’s nothing they can do yet, explain why.

If the empty state represents success, tell them that too.

Sometimes a simple sentence and one button are better than a beautiful illustration with five competing actions.

Empty States Should Reflect User Intent

Context matters.

Consider a task management product.

If a new user has no tasks, the empty state might say:

“You’re all set. Create your first task to get started.”

But if an experienced user has completed everything, the message could be:

“Nice work. You’ve cleared everything on your list.”

Same empty database.

Completely different psychological experience.

One creates motivation.

The other creates a sense of accomplishment.

Empty States Are Behavioural Design

This is the part I find most interesting.

An empty state isn’t just a visual component.

It influences what users do next.

A confusing empty state can cause users to leave.

A helpful one can encourage exploration.

A well-designed one can teach the product without requiring a tutorial.

That’s why I think Product Managers should treat empty states as part of the product experience, not as something designers add at the end.

Final Thought

An empty screen might look like a lack of content.

But from a product perspective, it’s actually a moment of uncertainty.

The user is asking:

“What does this mean, and what should I do now?”

A good empty state answers both questions.

It explains the situation, provides context, and gives the user a clear path forward.

Because sometimes the best product experience isn’t about showing users more information.

It’s about knowing exactly what to show them when there’s nothing to show.