The Request Line: how it works and how to get the most out of it

The Request Line is where you tell us what you'd like Sonos to build, change, or bring back. It's been launched today and I realized it would be helpful to have one post that explained the whole thing: how to submit, what happens after you do, and what the statuses actually mean. So here it is. We'll keep adding to this as the process settles in.

NOTE: You must have an account on the Community Forums to access (and submit an idea) on the Request Line.
 

What belongs on the Request Line

Feature requests and product ideas for anything Sonos. The app, speakers and home theater, headphones, services, and the Community itself.

Two things are better off elsewhere:

• Something isn't working the way it should. That's a support question. Post it in the relevant help category so the community and our support team can dig in with you.
• General thoughts or opinions without a specific ask. General Feedback or Owners Cafe is the right home for those.

How to write a request that gets noticed

• Give it a clear, specific title. "Add a sleep timer to the Now Playing screen" is easier to act on than "Sleep timer please."
• Describe the problem before the solution. What are you trying to do, which products are involved, and how often does it come up? That context is what the product teams actually read.
• Search first. If someone already asked, vote and comment there instead. One request with 200 votes carries far more weight than twenty near-duplicates with ten each.
• One request per post. Bundled asks are hard to track and harder to update.
• Pick the right product area. Not sure? Post it anyway and the moderation team will re-tag it.

Votes and comments do different jobs

Votes tell us how many of you want something. Comments tell us why. When you comment, share your own setup and what you're running into. "I have an Arc with Era 300 surrounds and hit this every time I switch inputs" says a lot more than a plus one.

What happens after you submit

Every request moves through a set of statuses so you can see where it stands:

[New Idea] → [Open] → [In Development] → [Implemented]

Some requests will also land on:

• [Parked]: Not being worked on right now, but not off the table either. We'll say why where we can, and these get another look as planning cycles come around.
• [Closed]: This one won't be worked on in the foreseeable future. We'll leave a reason, and the request stays visible so the conversation and the votes aren't lost. If things change down the road, you're welcome to raise it again.

How requests get prioritized

Votes matter, and they aren't the only thing that matters. What I keep hearing from the product teams is that they weigh a few things together:

• How many people a change affects, and how much
• How it fits with what's already in motion
• How complex it is to build and test across the full range of Sonos products and setups

So a heavily voted request can take a while if it's a big lift, and a smaller one can move quickly if it unlocks something else. Either way, every request adds to the picture.

Keeping you in the loop

We're working on a regular roundup of what moved, what's planned, and what's still being looked at. Think of it as our way of closing the loop instead of letting requests sit quietly. This will likely land during our regular monthly Office Hours held right here on the Community Forums. 

A few expected questions

Why was my request marked Not planned?
Usually because it's out of scope for the product, isn't feasible with how the system works today, or won't be revisited in the near term. We'll always try to leave a reason.

What's the difference between Parked and Closed?
Parked means it's paused and will come back around during planning. Not planned means it won't be considered for the foreseeable future.

Does voting make a difference?
Yes. It isn't a straight ranking, but votes and comments are the clearest signal of demand the product teams get from the community, and they're read.

Will I be notified when the status changes?
If you posted, voted, commented, or followed a request, you'll get a notification when it moves. 

I posted a bug here by mistake. What now?
No problem. Reply or tag a moderator and we'll move it to the right help category.

Can I request something involving a third-party service or integration?
Yes. Just keep in mind partner integrations depend on both sides, so those can take longer and sometimes aren't entirely in our hands.

My request was closed. Can I resubmit it?
You can. If the situation has changed since it was closed, say so in the new post and it'll get a fresh look.

If there's anything missing here that would make the Request Line easier to use, let us know below.