Aglet

Triage notification badge meaning before changing the shell

A number beside a bell is usually read as unread notification work, but a product may accidentally use it for totals or another metric. Triage the meaning before styling it. Compare count source, accessible label, empty state, and destination so the indicator makes one clear promise.

Establish what is happening

  1. Capture the indicator

    Record icon, badge value, accessible name, count source, unread records, navigation label, and destination. Include zero, one, and several values. Keep an unrelated metric nearby as a control if the shell could create confusion.

  2. Compare the inferred promise

    Ask what a person expects to find after opening the badge and compare it with the list. Distinguish unread items, total events, urgent items, and grouped summaries. A count can be numerically correct while semantically misleading.

  3. Set a meaning boundary

    State what the badge counts, when it appears, how zero is communicated, and which text-equivalent status exists. Preserve a clear control. Stop when another reviewer can predict the destination from the indicator alone.

What to carry forward

The triage output is a badge meaning rule linking count, unread state, label, and destination. Stop when notification count and unrelated metrics are distinct. If the destination or count source is unclear, keep the indicator minimal and route the semantics question.

Technical background: W3C guidance.

Keep the decision with the work.

Use a Work Item in Aglet to record the problem, the evidence you have, and the next decision. Add an owner and priority, then keep updates in the discussion so the next person can follow the reasoning.

Create an account See the product workflow