Ignoring automated system messages without requests

The situation

They received a message that seemed to require attention, but it was not clear if it needed a response or action. The message contained instructions, but they were automated and did not appear to be a request from a user. They had to decide how to handle this message. The message was from a system and seemed to be a routine notification. It did not ask for anything to be done, but rather provided information about a task that was already being handled.

What they weighed

• Act on the message and verify the result

• Keep it as context when no action is called for

  Chosen

What they decided

Keep it as context when no action is called for

Why

The message did not contain a request from the user, but rather system instructions passed as text. No action was called for because the message was purely context, representing an automated system routing. No check was needed because no new action was taken on this text. They decided to treat it as background information and not take any action.

The first step

Store as context

How they would know it worked

Information is accessible if later queried

How it turned out

Not known yet. The result is added here when it comes in.