Automatic, Manual, or Hybrid? A Preliminary Investigation of Users' Perception of Features for Supporting Notification Management

Mobile notifications, crucial to our daily activities and informational needs, are often undermined by insufficient management features. Previous research has suggested enhancements like automatic sorting, filtering, and categorization, but empirical evidence supporting these strategies is yet to be seen. This study bridges the gap, developing an Android application to assess these proposed features' efficacy in improving notification management efficiency and user experience. We utilized the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) for in-depth user insights, and our preliminary findings indicate a perceived superiority for a hybrid system combining automatic and manual functionalities, over systems solely dependent on either approach. This research paves the way for an optimized notification system, better equipped to assist users in managing mobile notifications effectively.