2015 new interface is not impressing me

[JamesMaeding]

I'm not sure who got the idea to re-invent the menu system ANOTHER time, but I'm not liking it.

On the first model I open, I want to turn shadows off, its a big model.

I start hovering over the orange thing, looking at tooltips. Its all pictures, so you have to hope the tooltip helps you.

The tips were ok, but not obvious for someone coming from 2014.

So I click on an item and this lovely menu swings in slowly.

What the heck?????????? Fade in slowly???????? I am on a fast machine too.

I finally see the menu items along the left side, then see the white pictures.

Did it ever occur to Autodesk that white is hard to see if you have a light model background? Dang it.

The I see visual effects with common settings, but no shadows option.

I tried the High Visual Quality switch and it turned off the shadows.

Am I the only one who hates switches? a check box is clear, but switches all start to look the same.

Then I try to move that Visual Effects dialog to another monitor. No go, must be in the program window.

Whos horrible idea was a cluncky modeless dialog that cannot go off window? I want to know, this is a new low for Autodesk.

I'm going to need a shovel to dig a trench for the bar now, its below ground.

Autodesk blew it on many levels here. Change for the sake of change is stupid. This is so Autodesk too, to take an awesome product and experiment with things that should have been refined, not replaced.

The ribbon was not my favorite interface either, but at least it was available and consistent.

This new thing of clicking to wait 2 seconds to see the buttons I have to discern against the background, is insanity.

I could not have done a worse interface if I tried. Its all fragmented now, and slow, and hard to read. I think I will stick with 2014 its so bad.

You must think we were born yesterday Autodesk, this is a rediculous mess you made.

[eric.fain]

Hi James. The new interface is directional and intended to focus on the user's work rather than our tools. We are not where we want to be and you bring up some salient points in our quest to reach the overall goal expressed by our users.

The issues you bring up around performance and visibilty are ones we are working diligently toward correcting.You've also suggested some feature improvements that we are working on design and implementation. 

If you want to have a discussion about details of these issues I'm more than happy for you to reach out to me personally. We always welcome constructive feedback that helps with overall direction. 

Eric

[neilyj666]

I'm very quick to bash Autodesk but I'll also give positive feedback when necessary and I'd say although I'm not entirely sold on the new interface I'm getting used to it now.

I would also agree with jmaeding's comments that there are still some issues to be sorted so perhaps the focus should be on this usability rather than even more Cloud-centric stuff

[JamesMaeding]

Autodesk is bashing us and themselves on this one.

I found out the UI was actually introduced in 2014 R4, which is not part of the ADN seat I have installed on my laptop so had not seen it.

This non-full coverage of ADN seats is starting to bug me, as I would be happy to use a network seat when in the office to test things like R4, but that would mean uninstalling and reinstalling since you cannot have both on at same time (non-r4 and R4...).

I think I've said enough on how the new UI destroys functionality compared to 2014.

At this point, I am hoping they take another look at what usage patterns they are really trying to accomodate, instead of if the final result is all hidden.

My advice is to give the option of the ribbon back, since the development on it is already done.

I never thought the day would come I would ask for a ribbon back, things are desperate here.

[JamesMaeding]

I just got an email about this post from Autodesk, asking if the issue was solved.

The answer is no.

When you are available Eric, we desperately need to discuss what is going on with this redone UI.

I think some relevent info Autodesk should provide at this point is what they were trying to do.

What did users ask for?

I totally get the idea of a UI that can almost dissapear, and is lightweight on the viewable area of the model.

Autodesk started the trend of all its tools having a ribbon, and everyone is not too worried if they do tweaks to a ribbon.

But when they add another kind of UI, they better test it a lot, and seek out people like me that have a long history with them.

I could have saved you so much headache, now you have a released tool that your supervisors are not likely to have you revamp past the release deadline.

But I am sure no one gave you my name, as is typical with the new Autodesk.

The product leaders need to maintain a list of peer reviewers, so we don't get messes like this.

I don't see them participating in this DG, where are they.

I will have to ask them myself, as I have an almost unusable product now.

[Partenheimer]

While my critique may not be as severe as James', I do find some serious limitations in the new UI that are, to say the least, frustrating. The fact that the asset card can't be resized or moved off of the screen makes using this particular control difficult. I use dual 24" monitors and have plenty of screen real estate. Using 3D model insertion as an example... I used to be able to set the icon display to my preferred size, resize the palette, and place the palette on my second monitor giving me instantaneous (and easy) access to scores of insertion items at a glance. With the asset card, I am limited. It makes me feel as if I'm trying to build a ship within a bottle and just can't reach the things that I need. I only hope that future versions of this interface restore some of the easy-to-use interface aspects we previously enjoyed.

Regards,

Michael Partenheimer

[JamesMaeding]

scary how few people have commented on the new UI.

If a rant falls in the autodesk forest, does it make any sound?

[neilyj666]

If these forums changed anything they'd be shut down....;)

[Partenheimer]

My glimmer of hope is: the change implemented to Cursor Badges (in AutoCAD) after all of the (comment) postings to the forums. The reality in this case is: There are only three of us commenting here... so that glimmer of hope is fading fast.

[JamesMaeding]

I wonder about that.

Consider this: what if adesk had offered the product with old interface, and new, but separate serials (heaven forbid...).

I bet they would not see many using new interface.

Instead, they remove the old interface so no one can compare, and new users don't know the difference.

Autodesk itself still does not understand the value of IW.

It is not in the fancy concetual design, though that is valuable, but in the fact that it handles large draped images well, and allows texturing areas with shape files and placement of 3d houses by shape file.

If people were aware of how to do just those things, they would sell the product.

Instead they mix it in with the suites, then play games with its interface and focus on the whistles.

Now that is confusion.

[-HFenby-Taylor-]

Now I may be being a touch cyncial, but I think it's probably easier to change the interface than it is to go meddling with the heavy data crunching stuff.

Personally, I think old, older and new interfaces are all fine. I even think the software is more or less fine. There are far more pressing stability issues to deal with, give the interface changes to the intern.

[JamesMaeding]

see, that is the problem. You do not distinguish yourself as a beginner or experienced user, and say things are fine.

Of course some new person will say they are fine, not that you are, but you need to describe why my complaints are not a problem.

Vague compliments are as bad as vague complaints, though anyone prefers compliments unless they lose money from them.

Do you open larger models and have no lag? A clue is if you turn on high quality and ambient. A large model (data, not size in particular) will not just spin around.

It lags a bit. That tells you you are pushing the machine.

Now try the menus. Do they slow down?

So if I were on the team doing a new interface, and was not told I had no job if I did not do Autodesk's will, I would put performance at the top.

Then ease of use, right there with it, maybe even depending on my mood.

Then compactness, then coolness.

Seems things got reversed. Now how does that happen?

When customers see illogical things going on with companies that control software our workflows rely on, we never forget.

I get that its a big ship, and things slip, but we will review things for them for free, and they did not ask anyone I know about this UI change.

Are we not volcal enough, our mistake.

[Partenheimer]

The process reminds me of a line from the movie: Jurrassic Park; Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should. 

Speaking of preoccupation...

We've lost focus on a very important issue: we seem to be using an ongoing beta software...

My latest challenge is that I can't get any custom styles in pre-existing models to migrate forward. (I'm using IW 360 2015.2)

As near as I can tell, I would have to unistall 2015.2, install 2014r4, pull up archived models, export the styles, open 2015.2, and them import the styles... in each model. That's a pretty difficult recovery process required to use a "finished" product. The new UI is just a bonus.

Sometimes I find myself longing for AutoCAD 12 on the DOS 7 OS. No... wait... not that either!

[JamesMaeding]

say what? the model did not migrate forward properly?

Autodesk will likely jump on that especially since you bought the 360 tool, don't be shy.

I have both 2014 (not one of the R verseions) and 2015 (not 360) installed at same time with no issues.

So do not assume you must remove 2015 if you have not tried installing both.

[Partenheimer]

I wish it were that simple...

The models are companion files for the InfraWorks 360 Essentials and Roadway Design 360 Essentials books.

I don't have the InfraWorks version which was used to create the models...

The fun just never ends.

[JamesMaeding]

love it, now we have the software maker and trainer on the hook.

I'm sure both will turn their heads if you email directly.

Try Daniel.Phillbrick at adesk dot com (spell adesk as Autodesk...) for that side. He will be interested.

[philbrd]

I worked with Michael and found a solution to the issue with migrating custom styles in a proposal.   Look for a solution to be posted on the Autodesk Knowledge Network in the very near future.

thanks,

[Partenheimer]

In regards to the IW 2015.2 model migration issue.

Kudos to both James and Dan... and apologies for hijacking this thread.

Frankly, it didn't occur to me to contact Dan until James mentioned it. After reaching out to him, Dan contacted me almost immediately to work with me on this issue.

Now... let's work on making the Asset Cards resizable.

[Willy_Campbell]

@Michael, @James, @Neil, and anyone else out there, have you guys been asked, or do you have any interest in joining the InfraWorks Rolling Sandbox [beta]? There is typically a new beta build roughly every month, and any feedback goes directly to the development team. Then you can ask all the why's to those who make the decisions. If interested, let me know and I can get you added.

[JamesMaeding]

Hi Willy,

I had not heard of that.

There is a problem though. How can I test the betas when they will not install alongside my non-beta 2015?

I don't really have another free IW level machine hanging around.

Also, Beta is typically too late to change things, its only for fixing broken things.

Autodesk needs to plug us in way, way earlier. I should have been talking to Eric Fein as he was sketching on the napkin for this last UI thing.

Its all free help too, and we have been using adesk products longer than the average product manager I have found.

So I should be doing the sanbox thing, just wondering if it will be another "to little, too late" excercise.