Notification Design

Notification Design

Design product notification emails that inform without overwhelming - covering notification types, frequency management, digest strategies, and preference centers.

When to use this skill

• Building a notification system for a product or SaaS app
• Users are unsubscribing or complaining about too many emails
• Deciding which events should trigger an email vs. push vs. in-app
• Implementing digest or batching logic to reduce notification volume
• Designing a preference center for notification controls
• Choosing between instant alerts and periodic summaries
• Notification open rates or click rates are declining

Related skills

• transactional-email - receipts, auth emails, and other must-deliver messages
• email-sequences - drip campaigns and automated multi-step flows
• template-design - HTML email templates that render everywhere
• email-compliance - CAN-SPAM, GDPR, unsubscribe requirements
• suppression-lists - managing bounces, complaints, and opt-outs
• rate-limiting - volume controls that protect sender reputation

Notification types

Not all notifications are equal. Each type has different urgency, expected frequency, and design requirements.

Security and account alerts

Password resets, login from new device, two-factor codes, account lockouts.

• Channel: Email (primary) + push (secondary)
• Timing: Immediate, always
• User control: None - these are mandatory. Users cannot opt out of security notifications.
• Design: Minimal, direct. Lead with the event ("Someone signed in to your account from a new device"). Include device/location/time details. Clear CTA ("If this wasn't you, secure your account"). Never include sensitive data in the email body - say "your payment was processed" not "your payment of $4,231.00 was processed."

Transactional confirmations