A notification
A notification informs users of events that are unrelated to the current user activity, by briefly displaying a balloon from an icon in the notification area. The notification could result from a user action or significant system event, or could offer potentially useful information from Microsoft® Windows® or an application.
The information in a notification is useful and relevant, but never critical. Consequently, notifications don't require immediate user action and users can freely ignore them.
A typical notification.
In Windows Vista® and later, notifications are displayed for a fixed duration of 9 seconds. Notifications aren't displayed immediately when users are inactive or screen savers are running. Windows automatically queues notifications during these times, and displays the queued notifications when the user resumes regular activity. Consequently, you don't have to do anything to handle these special circumstances.
Usage patterns
Notifications have several usage patterns:
Action success
Notifies users when an asynchronous, user initiated action completes successfully. Correct:
In this example, Windows Update notifies users when their computer has been updated successfully.
Incorrect:
In this example, Microsoft Outlook® notifies users when a data file check is complete. What are users supposed to do now? And why warn users about successful completion?
Show when: Upon completion of an asynchronous task. Notify users of successful actions only if they are likely to be waiting for completion, or after recent failures.
Show how: Use the real-time option so that these notifications aren't queued when users are running a full-screen application or aren't actively using their computer.
Show how often: Once.
Annoyance factor: Low if success isn't expected due to recent failures, success is after a critical or highly unusual failure so user needs additional feedback, or user is waiting for completion; high if not.
Alternatives: Give feedback "on demand" by displaying an icon (or changing an existing icon) in the notification area while the operation is being performed; remove the icon (or restore the previous icon) when the operation is complete.
Action failure
Notifies users when an asynchronous, user initiated action fails. Correct:
In this example, Windows activation notifies users of failure.
Incorrect:
In this example, Microsoft Outlook used to notify users of a failure that they are unlikely to care about.
Show when: Upon failure of an asynchronous task.
Show how often: Once.
Annoyance factor: Low if useful and relevant; high if the problem will immediately resolve itself or users otherwise don't care.
Alternatives: Use a modal dialog box if users must address the failure immediately.
Non-critical system event
Notifies users of significant system events or status that can be safely ignored, at least temporarily.
In this example, Windows warns users of low battery power, but there is still plenty of time before they have take action.
Show when: When an event occurs and the user is active, or a condition continues to exist. If resulting from a problem, remove currently displayed notifications immediately once the problem is resolved. As with action notifications, notify users of successful system events only if users are likely to be waiting for the event, or after recent failures.
Show how often: Once when the event first occurs. If this results from a problem that users need to solve, redisplay once a day.
Annoyance factor: Low, as long as the notification isn't displayed too often.
Alternatives: If users must eventually resolve a problem, use progressive escalation by ultimately displaying a modal dialog box when resolution becomes mandatory.
Optional user task
Notifies users of asynchronous tasks they should perform. Whether optional or required, the task can be safely postponed.
In this example, Windows Update is notifying users of a new security update.
Show when: When the need to perform a task is determined and the user is active.
Show how often: Once a day for a maximum of three times.
Annoyance factor: Low, as long as users consider the task important and the notification isn't displayed too often.
Alternatives: If users must eventually perform the task, use progressive escalation by ultimately displaying a modal dialog box when the task becomes mandatory.
FYI
Notifies users of potentially useful, relevant information. You can notify users of information of marginal relevance if it is optional and users opt in. Correct:
In this example, users are notified when a new e-mail message is received.
Correct:
In this example, users are notified when contacts come online and they chose to receive this optional information.
Incorrect:
In this example, the information is useful only if the user already has high-speed USB ports installed. Otherwise, the user isn't likely to do anything different as the result of it.
Show when: When the triggering event occurs.
Show how: Use the real-time option so that these notifications aren't queued when users are running a full-screen application or aren't actively using their computer.
Show how often: Once.
Annoyance factor: Medium to high, depending upon users' perception of usefulness and relevance. Not recommended if there is a low probability of user interest.
Alternatives: Don't notify users.
Feature advertisement
Notifies users of newly installed, unused system or application features. Don't use notifications for feature advertisements! Instead, use another way to make the feature discoverable, such as:
• Design the feature to be easier to discover in contexts where it is needed.
• Don't do anything special and let users discover the feature on their own.
Incorrect:
Don't use notifications for feature advertisements.
A notification
A notification informs users of events that are unrelated to the current user activity, by briefly displaying a balloon from an icon in the notification area. The notification could result from a user action or significant system event, or could offer potentially useful information from Microsoft® Windows® or an application.
The information in a notification is useful and relevant, but never critical. Consequently, notifications don't require immediate user action and users can freely ignore them.
A typical notification.
In Windows Vista® and later, notifications are displayed for a fixed duration of 9 seconds. Notifications aren't displayed immediately when users are inactive or screen savers are running. Windows automatically queues notifications during these times, and displays the queued notifications when the user resumes regular activity. Consequently, you don't have to do anything to handle these special circumstances.
Usage patterns
Notifications have several usage patterns:
Action success
Notifies users when an asynchronous, user initiated action completes successfully. Correct:
In this example, Windows Update notifies users when their computer has been updated successfully.
Incorrect:
In this example, Microsoft Outlook® notifies users when a data file check is complete. What are users supposed to do now? And why warn users about successful completion?
Show when: Upon completion of an asynchronous task. Notify users of successful actions only if they are likely to be waiting for completion, or after recent failures.
Show how: Use the real-time option so that these notifications aren't queued when users are running a full-screen application or aren't actively using their computer.
Show how often: Once.
Annoyance factor: Low if success isn't expected due to recent failures, success is after a critical or highly unusual failure so user needs additional feedback, or user is waiting for completion; high if not.
Alternatives: Give feedback "on demand" by displaying an icon (or changing an existing icon) in the notification area while the operation is being performed; remove the icon (or restore the previous icon) when the operation is complete.
Action failure
Notifies users when an asynchronous, user initiated action fails. Correct:
In this example, Windows activation notifies users of failure.
Incorrect:
In this example, Microsoft Outlook used to notify users of a failure that they are unlikely to care about.
Show when: Upon failure of an asynchronous task.
Show how often: Once.
Annoyance factor: Low if useful and relevant; high if the problem will immediately resolve itself or users otherwise don't care.
Alternatives: Use a modal dialog box if users must address the failure immediately.
Non-critical system event
Notifies users of significant system events or status that can be safely ignored, at least temporarily.
In this example, Windows warns users of low battery power, but there is still plenty of time before they have take action.
Show when: When an event occurs and the user is active, or a condition continues to exist. If resulting from a problem, remove currently displayed notifications immediately once the problem is resolved. As with action notifications, notify users of successful system events only if users are likely to be waiting for the event, or after recent failures.
Show how often: Once when the event first occurs. If this results from a problem that users need to solve, redisplay once a day.
Annoyance factor: Low, as long as the notification isn't displayed too often.
Alternatives: If users must eventually resolve a problem, use progressive escalation by ultimately displaying a modal dialog box when resolution becomes mandatory.
Optional user task
Notifies users of asynchronous tasks they should perform. Whether optional or required, the task can be safely postponed.
In this example, Windows Update is notifying users of a new security update.
Show when: When the need to perform a task is determined and the user is active.
Show how often: Once a day for a maximum of three times.
Annoyance factor: Low, as long as users consider the task important and the notification isn't displayed too often.
Alternatives: If users must eventually perform the task, use progressive escalation by ultimately displaying a modal dialog box when the task becomes mandatory.
FYI
Notifies users of potentially useful, relevant information. You can notify users of information of marginal relevance if it is optional and users opt in. Correct:
In this example, users are notified when a new e-mail message is received.
Correct:
In this example, users are notified when contacts come online and they chose to receive this optional information.
Incorrect:
In this example, the information is useful only if the user already has high-speed USB ports installed. Otherwise, the user isn't likely to do anything different as the result of it.
Show when: When the triggering event occurs.
Show how: Use the real-time option so that these notifications aren't queued when users are running a full-screen application or aren't actively using their computer.
Show how often: Once.
Annoyance factor: Medium to high, depending upon users' perception of usefulness and relevance. Not recommended if there is a low probability of user interest.
Alternatives: Don't notify users.
Feature advertisement
Notifies users of newly installed, unused system or application features. Don't use notifications for feature advertisements! Instead, use another way to make the feature discoverable, such as:
• Design the feature to be easier to discover in contexts where it is needed.
• Don't do anything special and let users discover the feature on their own.
Incorrect:
Don't use notifications for feature advertisements.
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