Mixed Signals · No. 5
What does “Noted” mean?
From Pat, your manager, after you said in a meeting that the deadline wasn’t realistic
Noted.
It could mean
- Annoyed that you pushed back
- Busy, and agreeing
- Taking it seriously, and thinking it over
What was going on
Pat agreed with you and was already asking for more time. They were typing between two meetings.
This message and its story are made up. Real messages don’t come with the story.Ask before you answer
Text loses tone, so a short message can read harsher, or softer, than it was meant. Before you answer, ask what they meant. That’s Check before assuming, one of the principles Porcupine is built on.
What research says
In an experiment, college students rated one-word text replies like “Okay” and “Sure” as less sincere when they ended with a period. The same replies in handwritten notes weren’t affected.
Got a real text like this? Run a Quills Check.
Paste it. I’ll show you a few ways it could be read, and what you could ask instead of guessing. Writing your own? Switch to “I’m sending it” and I’ll show you if the quills are up.
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Find the words with Porcupine
The Quills Check helps with one text. Porcupine helps with the whole conversation, from what you ask through their reply. It’s coming soon, and we’ll let you know when it’s ready.
Every message and story in Mixed Signals is made up.