The importance of Modes in the V2 mobile app?

A question for @david.mccrindle, since I see he is head of Consumer Visual Design…

Is Mode slated to become a depreciated item in the interface?

I’m not being flippant here, it is a genuine question. In the 2.1 version of the app, Mode is now buried even further in the app. There is no quick way to determine the mode of the location unless you tap the menu. And, even then, the text between the field title and the actual mode itself is the same - there is no visual differentiation between the two except for an ever-so-slight increase in font weight that is nearly imperceivable.

I view Mode as an important datapoint, right beside SHM.

In the community, we are constantly teaching new users that Modes can be their best friends for controlling how the house behaves throughout the day and night. So many “how do I do X” posts have mode as a component of the answer.

I’m asking the community to comment on this as well. Am I being overly dramatic? (I did meet my wife doing theater!)

It really seems like mode should find a place on the Dashboard. The very definition of a dashboard in computing terms is a graphical summary of various pieces of important information. SHM, Mode, locks, etc are those important pieces of information.

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I’m biased… You’re being dramatic, but this situation absolutely calls for drama. Location.Mode may have substantial limitations, but if it is being deprecated, I wish it were via an official announcement rather than slowly poisoned in secret…

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I don’t think it is really being depreciated. However, moving it to where it is now means it has less importance and prominence. So, yes, my point was dramatic for effect (I’m actually pretty decent actor, after all). But, it is still a concern and I would love to hear some thoughts from ST about design direction…what they can tell us, that is.

It is not being deprecated. It was moved to the menu so it’s accessible from more places in the app.

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Tapping the menu, which is everywhere, is by definition “quick”!!

And modes are essential to the ST model at this point. They facilitate a great deal.

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LOL. Mine says home no matter what in my V1 hub location in the iOS app. Home all the time. I keep hitting routines for night, and it says it put it in night mode, but the app never says so in that new location. So what do I believe???

My V2 hub location at the office the mode change shows in the iOS app.

I agree. I’ve been with ST since the release of Hub V2. I’ve only recently (in the last month or so) began to fully implement the use of Modes into my system. Before that they were just too unreliable. I say that mine failed to change mode 4, maybe 5 times in the past 6 weeks. They have become rather reliable. So, they have basically become the heart of my system. Everything beats around the mode. (though, routines still suck)

It would be nice, since ST is still insisting that we default to the “Not” used dashboard, to see the mode prominently displayed on that screen as soon as we open our app. I don’t see why it can’t be in the hamburger and on the dashboard.

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I share this concern.

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I agree with @bravenel. One click and you get the mode from any where in the app. How is this being buried???

I actually really like the UI improvements made with this release. I am finding it more natural to find things now and quicker to get access to where I want to go.

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And speaking of modes… You could make the word a link that would allow us to easily change modes.

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I actually just decided I don’t want my old V1 dashboard shortcuts now and don’t know how to kill them. So I think the UI is going the right route when I am no longer worried about that (with smart tiles assist for the family of course)

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It could be. We’ll take it into consideration.

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I think ST made a purposeful decision to remove that ability and not bring it back (It used to be in the mobile app for 1.X). They want people to use routines to trigger modes. At first the community was in an uproar when this functionality was removed, but now, we seem to have gotten used to the Routine method. Perhaps @david.mccrindle can elaborate?

You pretty much nailed it. Routines should be used to trigger a mode switch.

We need to do a better job of educating how impactful modes can be related to Routines.

Basically modes have become the heart of my automations. I have 6 modes and all automation routines are triggered by the mode change. Automations that are mode dependant do different things in different modes.

Having the ability to not on know what mode the house is, but being able to trigger the modes easily had become essential to troubleshooting, operation, and stability.

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If routines were easier to organize, that would make a lot of sense. (Sub folders and the ability to control the display order and the color) But right now it can take a long time to find the one routine you want.

For precisely this reason, plus wanting to use voice via Echo to change modes, I use virtual switches to change the mode, and store those virtual switches in a room called Mode Controls. :sunglasses:

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I do exactly the same thing. All of my modes are set to change based in time and sunset. If they fail, I use a virtual button to fire then manually.

I call mine mode triggers!

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Well, IMHO, one simple way to educate people on how impactful modes can be related to Routines is TO SHOW THE CURRENT MODE ON “MY HOME” PAGE, OR AT LEAST ON THE ROUTINES TAB.

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Agreed with your sentiment.

I control ST via ROUTINE in order to select the appropriate MODE.

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Current mode isn’t under the main cheeseburger menu, though. You have to be on the Dashboard, three-dot menu, Manage [location], scroll down. It definitely feels like it’s being de-emphasized.

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