Enthusiast I

Horrible UI - Still

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
August 5, 2022
66 replies
1907 views

I’ve been using Sonos for 16 years (one of their first users.) I’ve purchased close to 50 Sonos devices.

I’ve been complaining about the UI for 15 years. It’s horrible. Performing simple actions like opening the equalizer requires 5 minutes of discovery every time you want to use it.

Why don’t the navigation icons at the bottom of the app have labels.

Why does the screen for selecting rooms/devices have the title “System”. Why is the icon in the navigation bar for this function totally unrelated to the function. Why is the setting for Alarms on the screen for selecting rooms.

Why are there three separate icons (search, favorites and browse) in the NavBar for selecting Music.

Why are the playback controls hidden in the collapsed now playing screen.

Setting up a new AMP…...What kind of imbecile would require a user to input a code into the app when installing a new device that’s written in illegible characters (requires a magnifying glass) on the back of the device, and only let the user know that it’s needed after the unit has already been installed at the back of a rack, under a sofa, or on the bottom shelf of a bookshelf.

“How do you want to use Amp” - It’s not “as stereo speakers” ….. it’s “with stereo speakers.” AMP is an amp. It’s not a speaker (or speakers.)

In addition, to being a Sonos user, I work as a product manager. It makes me want to puke every time I use the Sonos app.

This has to be the worst UI I’ve ever seen on an app for a well established Comapany

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D

dtohmatsuAuthor

Enthusiast I

I’ve had a Sonos system for 15 years. Somehow I’ve managed to move with the times, graduating from CR100 all the way to the mobile apps. The changes in the latter tend to be incremental so the learning process is usually a case of “what does this new button do?”.

CR100 was kludgy but decent for a startup in that day and age. CR 200 looked cool but was garbage. There should not be a learning process. The functionality is neither new nor complex.

> I can’t say I’ve ever been aware of the app having an emetic effect.

Presumably you’re feigning obtuseness and actually know my comment was hyperbolic.

ratty

my comment was hyperbolic.

And as such -- along with comments about “imbeciles” -- served to undermine your argument.

If you really felt so revolted, why on earth do you continue to use the system?

By the way, have you tried using the myriad of native apps from the various music streaming providers? Compared with the Sonos controller those really can provoke a whole new level of frustration.

J

John B

Performing simple actions like opening the equalizer requires 5 minutes of discovery every time you want to use it.

Tap Volume, tap EQ icon, how can that be improved?

Is that a serious question? What is the point of hiding the EQ icon. Even if the user remembers how to unhide the icon, it still requires an extra step (tap the volume control) in order to display the icon. Why would anyone possibly design the UI that way. Even if experienced users remember how to do this, why would you want to introduce that kind of totally unnecessary friction for new users. Also why are other playback controls (crossfade) hidden elsewhere behind a “more” ellipsis in a line (the music/album title) that is completely unrelated to playback control. A minimal amount of UAT would immediately reveal these problems.

Honestly, whoever is responsible for this must have studied at the blind darts school of UX design.

Your fury, rudeness and dogmatism over things that seem to me to be grey areas or of little consequence are really quite entertaining. And your inconsistency. You complain about having to do two taps instead of one for one thing, yet want to split the process of selecting music so that it has two stages. Or do you think, Favourites, Browse and Search can all be handled on a single ‘select music’ screen. If so, please provide a design, as that would be quite an achievement.

You seem to want to crowd the screen with labels for buttons that everybody knows the purpose of, full controls in collapsed screens (which consequently don’t collapse much) permanent icon for EQ settings…. Well that is your view and you are entitled to it. I prefer an uncluttered look. And although i have never been a product manager I think you know no more than the rest of us about UI design.

J

John B

Presumably you’re feigning obtuseness and actually know my comment was hyperbolic.

If ‘feigning obtuseness’ is a way of describing being ironic, then perhaps @ratty was feigning obtuseness.

Stanley_4

Grand Maestro

Started a new topic on my startup issues.

D

dtohmatsuAuthor

Enthusiast I

my comment was hyperbolic.

And as such -- along with comments about “imbeciles” -- served to undermine your argument.

If you really felt so revolted, why on earth do you continue to use the system?

Great hardware
Great architecture
Solid underlying software logic.

Which is why the horrible UI is so frustrating.

BTW - the comment about “imbeciles” was not hyperbolic.

106rallye

I must say I do not share most of your observations. I do find I sometimes have to look twice at the icons, so they maybe could be more clear.

Wanting a direct path to EQ settings seems strange. Are those not “set and forget”?

Ken_Griffiths

I find it a bit like learning to drive, initially it’s quite difficult to grasp, but after doing it often, it then becomes second nature and done without even thinking about it. I use the Sonos GUI often, I don’t even have to think about where things are. I personally find it easy/simple to operate and logical. Things are where I know they will be.

It’s when things are changed/moved, that I start to have issues, having to start all over again.. I think we should just leave things as they stand.

C

craigski

Local Superstar

After you have done something 10 times, you remember, its second nature. Re driving a car, if you know how to drive, and you get into a rental car in a different country with a steering wheel on left if you are used to it on the right, and no clutch, handbrake is a button rather than lever, lights in a different position, etc it doesn’t take long to figure it out and enjoy the ride.

G

Gert_4

Prominent Collaborator I

In my opinion, this version was the best and most manageable Sonos controller.

Also note how perfectly it fits the iPad screen,