The Notification That Borrowed a Minute
Article by Ayman Fouad Abdelgawad
A notification occupies very little space on a screen. Its request can nevertheless rearrange the minute around it. A thought is suspended while the person decides whether the message deserves a response.
Some interruptions are welcome or necessary. The question is who gets to decide which ones qualify.
A service may regard every return visit as useful. A person may regard uninterrupted time as useful. Those interests overlap only some of the time.
Respectful notifications should therefore be selective, understandable, and easy to control. Their importance should come from the message rather than from the insistence of its arrival.
Attention is not an empty container waiting to be filled. Something is usually already happening inside it. Before asking for a minute, a product should have a reason that makes sense from the recipient's side of the screen.