Too many notifications, managers ignore them. Not enough, workflows drag. Sweet spot: 1-2 notifications per step, on the right channels, at the right time.
Available channels #
| Channel | Attention delay | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| In-app | Variable | Any notification |
| 1-24h | Daily digest, formal requests | |
| Mobile push | 5-30 min | Urgent, approvals |
| Slack / Teams | 1-15 min | Connected teams |
| SMS | 5 min | Critical only |
Step-by-step #
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Define levels #
Critical (push + email + Slack), Important (in-app + email), Normal (in-app + digest email), Info (in-app only).
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Map events #
For each event type (approval to give, request rejected, etc.), assign a level.
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Set timing #
Immediate, daily digest 9 am, weekly digest Monday 8 am. Avoids saturation.
-
Enable quiet modes #
No weekend notifications (configurable), none during declared vacations, personal “do not disturb” mode.
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Measure effectiveness #
The Notification engagement report shows % opened, clicked, actioned.
FAQ #
Slack / Teams: what volume?
Limit to critical only. Seasoned users get ~3-5 per week.
User opt-in, who chooses?
You set the minimum. The user can enable more, never less.
How to avoid “too many emails”?
Single daily digest instead of 5 emails. Open rate +40% on average.
Can I test before deployment?
Yes, Preview to me mode sends all notifications to your account only for review.
