Friends, we have improved the notification system! Now it is a useful tool that really helps in work.
We have rethought and structured notifications, making them part of the workflow. So one small, but well-thought-out improvement set off a domino effect that affected the entire system, making it more efficient.
What needed improvement?
So, we started with an analysis and immediately came across several problems that became growth points for us.
Problem one: setting up notifications
First, the project manager, when adding a new participant, had to check a bunch of boxes. Then the user himself received a list of options and tried to understand what he really needed. But due to the abundance of settings and a confusing interface, people most often checked everything or turned off notifications altogether — simply because it was difficult and time-consuming to understand.
Therefore, the first thing to do was to make setting up notifications easier. The process needed to be as clear and transparent as possible, so that when choosing options, the user could immediately understand what notifications he would receive and which would not.
Problem two: notification feed
Sometimes there are too many notifications, especially in large projects. Notifications about posting on every social network, about every comment, about every message within the team — and all this in one general feed.
When there is no structure, and notifications come as a continuous stream, users simply drown in this flow. Many people, in order not to be distracted, prefer to turn off notifications. However, in this way, you can miss important events that require attention.
Therefore, the next task was to structure notifications so that users could easily find important information and not get lost in the flow.
What have we done?
We fixed the shortcomings that we identified earlier and made notifications more convenient.
Simplified notification settings
You can go to the settings directly from the notification window — just click on the gear in the upper right corner. This works on both the computer and the mobile app. In the settings, you see two main parameters: which notifications you want to receive and where they will go.
Detailed settings are divided into categories: system, approvals, publications, and so on. In each category, there are several options, and you can choose only what you really need. For example, if you are only involved in approving posts, just check the boxes in the "Approvals" category — and you will receive notifications only about that.
The main thing is that the settings fully correspond to the notifications you will eventually receive. You choose only what is important to you, and it is this that will come to your feed.
Ordered notifications
Just like with the settings, we divided the notification feed into categories. The same ones: system, approvals, publications, discussions, messages from users, and analytics. This helps quickly find the necessary information and not get lost in the general feed.
For example, if you need to approve a series of posts, just go to the "Approvals" section — all requests are collected there.
In addition, each notification has a preview of the post to which it pertains. Click on the preview — and you will immediately go to the desired publication.
Combined discussions and comments
Previously, comments on the same post appeared one after the other and were not related to each other. Now everything related to one post has been combined into a single thread. Even if 100 comments have been written to the post, you will see only one notification. Two posts — two notifications, not hundreds of messages.
In the screenshot, we see a notification that the post has been successfully published on all declared social networks. However, when we open this notification, we see that it contains information about the publication in each of them. That is, instead of six separate notifications about publication on VKontakte, Telegram, and other social networks, we received only one general one.
How the notification update saves your time
We analyzed interactions in teams and found that one of the most common problems that slows down work processes is delays in communication. This is especially noticeable at stages of task approval.
Let's analyze how updating notifications in the service not only solves this problem but also makes work faster and more efficient.
Imagine a typical situation. An SMM manager prepares content for publication. He uses Google Sheets for approval with the client. What happens next?
- The manager sends the client a link to the sheet.
- The client must see the message, open the document, understand its structure, and only then give feedback.
This process takes hours or even days. And if there are several posts? If the client does not immediately see the message? If he cannot understand the sheet?
How does it work in our service?
- The SMM manager adds the post to the service and sends a request for approval.
- The client instantly receives a push notification on the phone.
- In one click, he goes to the post, checks it, and approves it.
And if the client does not open the notification immediately, it does not disappear anywhere. It will be waiting for him in the corresponding section, in the "Approvals" category. This means that the client does not have to spend time searching for the post that needs to be approved — everything is already structured and at hand. And if the situation requires urgent attention, the manager can always send a repeat request, and the client will receive a new notification.
As a result, managers stop spending time reminding clients. Instead, they work on really important tasks that move the business forward. Clients are no longer lost in an endless stream of documents and links — everything necessary opens with a click on the notification.
It's not just convenient — it significantly speeds up work processes and increases the productivity of the entire team.
We are constantly working on improving the service, so if you notice any problems, please let us know in the “Share an idea” section.
