[SailfishOS-UI/UX] Improved Notificactions

asked 2014-04-15 12:23:06 +0200

danielli
61 ●2 ●2 ●4

updated 2014-04-15 13:29:36 +0200

Hi there community,

thought I might throw in something in this together thing as an UI/UX thinker.

WHAT?
This post is about thoughts and observations that might improve usability in estates such as Notifications.

PROBLEM?
Some applications writes lots of notifications. While the probability for massive amounts of example message app (MMS, SMS, Other) notifications is low, some other apps just produce a lot of notifications (lets accept it for the sake of this argument and not judge app behaviour). While one might argue this is a minor problem, isn't the purpose displaying a multitude of different notifications for direct or indirect consumption?

WHERE?
Notifications-screen where some applications notifications might take over the whole screen estate. The problem is more obvious in locked-screen mode (since scrolling is not allowed, just peeking). It might render the peeking completely useless.

CURRENT SITUATION
Email's are "grouped" by showing an increasing unread email count (the data references to each seems to be there since a single email is displayed with information).

To clear notifications one has two (interaction dependent) choices (might also be more esoteric ones out there (rebooting?)):
1. Consume it by clicking/tapping it
2. "Clear notifications" (from pulley menu)

Here's two perspectives to notifications that accept their existence. The amount of dependence varies from full to low desire to control them.

A. FULL CONTROL OVER NOTIFICATIONS
The notifications grouping and classification arise from desire to have FULL control over every notification created.

How could the Notifications be grouped or classified into groups?
By App, needs app-specific configuration. (one might set some app to group automatically on the Notifications-screen)
By Type of App, does such distinction even exist? (implies also that Type of App comes with some sanity rules which App ought follow OR is enforced by classifying procedure)
By Behaviour, some classifying procedure sentencing (same app or other discrete) to group (when lots of notifications arise or whatnot)
By Time/Date, for some time-managed people, these would keep em synchronized (implies time and date is introduced to Notifications screen when in this mode).

How could notifications be cleared with groups?
One could consume a group by a differentiated gesture distinct to consume a notification.

B. LOW CONTROL OVER NOTIFICATIONS
When notifications is of less importance in ones experience, one is fine letting automagic consume notifications after some known behaviour. The grouping and classification might adjust the desired level of exposure.

How could notifications be cleared in a different situation?
By Time/Date, clearing the notifications after a set time if one wishes so.
By Exposure, once notification has been peeked/displayed it is cleared, this is interaction independent consumption (in contrast to interaction dependent consumption).

SUMMARY
Improvements regarding Notifications exist. Depending on users dependence to notifications and how the use of notifications evolve, notifications need to vary it's appearance and way they may be consumed.

EDIT Did test rebooting, notifications are still present but Android notification icons (and any reference to the app in charge of the notification) are lost after reboot.