Taking Control of Music
Meet Rob, Director of User Experience at Sonos, and learn how his team designed the user interface of the wireless handheld Controller.
What goals drove the design?
Rob: First and foremost, we wanted to make sure the product was fun and intuitive so that anyone could use it. Often, innovative products are designed so that only the most technical people in a household can understand them. We wanted to break that barrier and give everyone in a household the means to enjoy their music. That’s why the Controller has a large colour screen and a minimal, understandable set of buttons. The “Zone” button allows people to choose which room, or rooms, they want to play music in, and the “Music” button lets them choose their favourite music. Couldn’t be simpler!
What influenced your design?
Rob: We liked the fact that consumer electronics products, such as CD players and TVs, worked right out-of-the-box, so we made the entire system very “plug and play.” This starts with the system setup, which requires no technical know-how, and carries through to everyday use. We’ve even integrated online radio and music services into the user interface so that people can try them immediately at the touch of a button.
Did potential customers play a role in the design?
Rob: Absolutely. Input from music lovers was instrumental in our development process. From the very beginning, we talked to potential users to understand how we could take the individual listening experience and transform it into a multi-room, multi-person experience. Today, we continue to listen to our customers—many of our new features and design improvements have been driven by direct customer feedback, either through our forums or home visits where we watch people set up and use their Sonos systems. And because our system upgrades via the Internet (again, at the touch of a button), new features and music services can be added regularly so that new and existing customers can enjoy them all.
What kind of customer feedback are you receiving?
Rob: Our customers love the fact that we’ve extended wireless multi-room music into the home. And they really like that we’ve made it so easy. We’ve heard that the Controller has become the focus of many dinner parties, where people who have never even used Sonos before are sitting at the table choosing songs and making playlists. That’s music to my ears.
