051Pattern
User-Initiated Triggers
People are more likely to interact with a trigger (e.g., a push notification, or an alert), if they've set it up themselves.
Why it matters
If you've decided that every Tuesday at 11am you're going to go for a walk, and get a push notification 10 minutes before to remind you, then you'll be more likely to react to the trigger if you created the alert.
i.e., rather than a system deciding when to alert you.
Churn:
• People may be less likely to churn if they've created (or helped influence) their own triggers.
Feature usage
What to inspect
- Check whether the experience reflects this: People may be less likely to churn if they've created (or helped influence) their own triggers.
- Map each visible element to how it supports or undermines: People are more likely to interact with a trigger (e.g., a push notification, or an alert), if they've set it up themselves.
- Walk the primary task once with time pressure; note where attention drops.
- Ask a colleague unfamiliar with the product to paraphrase the screen in one sentence.
Common anti-patterns
- Assuming users consciously notice every place where "People are more likely to interact with a trigger (e.g., a push notification, or an alert), if they've set it up themselves" could apply.
- Dense copy and parallel actions that increase mental effort unrelated to the user’s goal.
- Ignoring downstream effects on churn when shipping this pattern.
Critique prompts
- People may be less likely to churn if they've created (or helped influence) their own triggers.
- Where on this screen would "User-Initiated Triggers" show up as friction or misunderstanding?
- What would a first-time user misunderstand here in under five seconds?