Research and Test Default Notification Settings on Notion

Description

Amazing. I want to test- do others receive notifications for this comment? I checked the page settings in the screenshot attached and you can see my settings, but it doesn’t show a way to manage others’ notifications. If others do receive notifications for this, then we’d need to consider the best way to manage this so we can use comments but it doesn’t overwhelm everyone who has access to the whole space.

Questions to answer:

• If others don’t receive notifications for this, then what exactly prompts the notifications? Rosmari got a notification when i posted on the Optimism Fractal homepage last week. I wonder if others did as well.
• Does it matter whether people have opened the page? ie will someone get a notification to page that they haven’t opened yet?
• If someone is given access to a parent page, then do they get notifications for the parent page and the children pages or just the parent page?
• What is the default behavior for notifications? After being invited to a page, do all users get notifications for all, important, or none?
• Is there some global setting that a community admin or workspace creator can set to adjust default notification settings for all invited users?

I'm trying to figure out how notion notifications work for comments and the best way to manage notification settings so we can use comments in a community but it doesn’t overwhelm everyone who has access to the whole workspace. Questions to answer: - What exactly prompts the notifications? A member got a notification when i posted on the homepage last week. I wonder if others did as well. - Does it matter whether people have opened the page? ie will someone get a notification to page that they haven’t opened yet? - If someone is given access to a parent page, then do they get notifications for the parent page and the children pages or just the parent page? - What is the default behavior for notifications? After being invited to a page, do all users get notifications for all, important, or none? - Is there some global setting that a community admin or workspace creator can set to adjust default notification settings for all invited users?

Navigating Notion's notification settings, especially in a community workspace with many members, requires understanding both the default behaviors and the options available for customization. Here’s how notifications generally work in Notion regarding comments and page interactions, along with some tips on managing these settings for a community:

What prompts notifications?

In Notion, notifications are generally triggered by several actions:

• Comments and mentions: If someone comments on a page you are following or mentions you specifically, you will receive a notification.
• Page updates: Depending on your settings, changes made to a page you follow might also trigger notifications. This can include edits or additions to the page content.

If you posted on the homepage and a member got notified, it's likely because they were following the homepage or were mentioned directly in the update.

Impact of page access

Notifications are not directly influenced by whether someone has opened a page or not. If a user has access to a page and is set to follow it (either by default or by choice), they will receive notifications regardless of whether they've actively viewed the page.

Notifications for parent and child pages

In Notion, if someone is given access to a parent page, they do not automatically receive notifications for all child pages unless they opt to follow those pages individually or inherit follow settings that apply to all sub-pages.

Default behavior for notifications

By default, when a user is invited to a page:

• They are set to follow that page, which means they will receive notifications for comments and mentions by default.
• The settings for page edits (minor or significant changes) can be adjusted, and users can choose to unfollow pages if they prefer not to receive notifications.

Global settings for notification management

Currently, Notion does not offer a global setting that allows an admin to adjust default notification settings for all users in a workspace. Instead, each user must manage their notification preferences individually. However, as an admin:

• You can guide your community on how to set their notification preferences.
• You might suggest standard practices or create guidelines on when and how to use mentions and comments to avoid unnecessary notifications.

Best Practices for Managing Notifications in a Community

1. Education and Guidelines: Provide clear guidelines on how notifications should be managed by individual users and how comments and mentions should be used judiciously.
2. Use of Mentioning: Encourage users to mention specific people only when necessary to ensure that notifications are relevant.
3. Regular Review: Encourage periodic reviews of what pages members are following and adjust as necessary to keep the workspace clean and relevant.
4. Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback loop to learn about the notification preferences and experiences of your community members, adjusting use practices as needed.

These practices can help manage the flow of notifications so that they remain helpful rather than overwhelming.

So if you invite 10 people to a notion site with many subpages, then by default will each of them get a notification whenever a comment is made on any subpage? If so, how do you recommend educating invitees right from the beginning so they don't get overwhelmed with notifications on subpages?

ChatGPT

When you invite people to a Notion workspace with many subpages, they do not automatically receive notifications for comments on each subpage by default. They will initially only receive notifications for the specific pages they are invited to and choose to follow. For the subpages, they need to actively choose to follow those pages if they want to receive notifications related to comments or changes made there.

Educating Invitees on Managing Notifications

Here’s how you can help new members of your Notion workspace manage their notification settings effectively from the beginning:

1. Welcome Guide or Onboarding Document: Create a document that serves as a guide to using the Notion workspace. Include a section specifically on managing and setting up notifications. Explain how they can follow or unfollow pages and what triggers notifications.
2. Initial Setup Meeting: If feasible, have a kickoff meeting or onboarding session where you walk through Notion’s features, including detailed guidance on notification management. Use this time to show live examples of how to adjust notification settings.
3. Customize Default Follow Settings: Guide new users to customize their "Follow" settings upon joining. Encourage them to only follow those pages they need to stay updated on, and explain how following too many pages can lead to notification overload.
4. Email or Message Summaries: Educate members on the use of email or message summaries for updates, which can reduce the frequency of in-app notifications and help prevent immediate disruption. This allows users to digest information at their own pace.
5. Notification Preferences Tutorial: Share tutorials or screen captures showing how to access and change notification settings. Notion’s help and support sections provide useful guides that can be shared.
6. Use of @Mentions Judiciously: Cultivate a culture where @mentions are used thoughtfully. Explain that mentions should be used when someone’s attention is crucial for a task or discussion, rather than as a default communication method.
7. Regular Check-ins: Encourage users to regularly check and adjust their notification settings based on their experience and changes in their role or involvement in projects.

By setting these expectations and providing the necessary tools and knowledge from the start, you can help ensure that your team members use Notion effectively without becoming overwhelmed by excessive notifications.