---
title: Design for Bad Roundup - How To Handle The Not-So-Good Moments
description: dscout's bad news study took a look at how bad news impacts user experience. Check our observed best practices and how we found out bad news in the moment
---

[![dscout logo 2018](https://pages.dscout.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logos/dscout%20logo%20gray.png?width=148&height=40&name=dscout%20logo%20gray.png "dscout logo 2018")](https://dscout.com/)

![_roundupLP-header.jpg](http://blog.dscout.com/hubfs/1_internal_studies/Bad_News/_roundupLP-header.jpg "_roundupLP-header.jpg")

# **Designing For Bad News: How to Handle the Not-So-Good Moments**

**See how dscout researchers used   
in-the-moment mobile ethnography tools  
to explore bad news in digital experiences.**

 

We dug into how companies deliver bad news to users. What happens when someone fails, misses a goal, or has a disappointing outcome? 

 

Our unique mobile ethnography project offered participants the opportunity to share bad news as they experienced it.

  

Check out our observations of best practices for bad news UX based on 900 user submissions.

 

The Bad News study is a great example of real-time, in-the-moment qualitative research that delivers fascinating behaviorial insights, achieveable by any organization, large or small.

 

| [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2206648/1cb0972a-8409-4584-bc55-239ebad99dc6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2206648/1cb0972a-8409-4584-bc55-239ebad99dc6) | [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2206648/b294011a-7f10-43b7-bed7-36785613cecc.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2206648/b294011a-7f10-43b7-bed7-36785613cecc) |
| --- | --- |
| [![Bad News Insights](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2206648/aafc4ea5-ec36-43d0-8d75-acf15b480fc7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2206648/aafc4ea5-ec36-43d0-8d75-acf15b480fc7) | [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2206648/8aa660d6-3d3d-4ee5-8407-d6a5e28c952c.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2206648/8aa660d6-3d3d-4ee5-8407-d6a5e28c952c) |
| [![Watch the methods clinic](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2206648/ce7841ef-ff5a-47e2-972d-6448001f9599.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2206648/ce7841ef-ff5a-47e2-972d-6448001f9599) | [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2206648/479ba18d-4faa-45f6-97b4-93a0ce07f92b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2206648/479ba18d-4faa-45f6-97b4-93a0ce07f92b) |

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