I was at a friend’s house whilst they were setting up an Amazon Ring—a smart doorbell. Part of the process was picking a doorbell sound.
A debated ensued about what sound was best. Some of were traditional—a bit boring. Other’s were futuristic and ethereal—easy to miss. Some were loud and in-your-face—grating.
The lesson I took away, not just about doorbells, but for any alert—whether it be on our phones, laptops, post-its, or diaries—the sound itself doesn’t matter all that much.
What matters is being universally heard and recognised.
Set alerts accordingly.