What is a BlueNote Light, and how do I add one?
A Light is a single alert timer button, channel, or object, that appears dark grey when it is not active. Multiple Lights are grouped in a fixed pattern in a grid, called the Light Panel. When a single Light is active, it will change from grey to green, to indicate that it has been turned On.
Lights only have two states: On or Off.
What this means is that Lights are not messages that "go" anywhere in particular. They do not get sent or received; instead they are turned On when needed, or turned Off when they are not needed. When a Light is turned on, not only does it carry the weight of its own context, it starts a timer, and may appear in relation to all the other Lights that may also be turned on, so that users can then decide what type of response is required, depending entirely upon the context of each Light timer. For the example in the video clip below we are adding a single Light. This light is being created for the purpose of calling Doctor A to Room 2, and it includes its own unique Notification tone.
Everyone, everywhere, on all computers, sees all Lights and whether each one is On or Off.
How to add a Light:
• Open System Wide Changes > Edit Lights Configuration and choose the Light Panels tab.
• Click into one of the blank grey spaces (or a previously programmed Light if it is to be changed). This will open up the Light Editor.
• In the white field below "Light Name" enter the context of the Light. In this example, we'll be typing "Dr A come to Room 2."
• Add other details such as tones and colors.
• Close the Light's editor by clicking "Save Light."
• Tab to Publish. This saves the file and adds the new Light to the Light Panels of all BlueNotes users on the network.
Because Lights are not independent, and instead appear in relation to all other Lights that are programmed, this type of communication assures that all notifications are collaborative, especially if multiple Lights are being used to direct a person from one place in the office to another in a precise order of priority. Over time, users become aware of the patterns of these Lights and are able to quickly interpret when a pattern on the Light Panel is favorable, as opposed to when it may look like there is an impending bottleneck of slowdown.