Notes · 26 January 2026

In-app prompts and the session tax

How stacked banners and sheets quietly tax the journeys they claim to help.

Hands holding a phone showing an app screen

Push gets the governance debate; in-app prompts often ship without the same scrutiny. Multiple sheets on onboarding or checkout can look “engaged” while exit rates climb.

Pair impression rates with the next intended action: complete a step, dismiss and continue, or abandon the screen. A high interaction rate that stalls the path is still a response failure.

Lift reviews should always include a short interruption appendix. Product cannot retire what analytics never named.