topic Re: Model Builder - last weeks update in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Model Builder - last weeks update

Arp_148 — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 08:19:55 GMT

Anyone else noticing issues with Model Builder in the last weeks update?

The view switch to outzoomed mode - everytime you switch tab or window - so you must again and again zoom in to were you where.
Smaller fonts - fonts (and blocks) are now even smaller than before. Also, there is still no options to edit either fonts or font size.
Being forced to 100% out zoom over and over again - when the fonts now are so small you cant read them is time consuming and easily mess up your focus over and over. Very annoying.
Auto Layout result in a visual, structural, absolute mess - especially regarding groups in groups - and a forced serial layout from left to right - making it impossible to grasp your model and its blocks - forcing you to scroll left right continously to be able to see things.
Output Name Blocks - still do not update during work - eventually making the model look like a misleading mess.
Less colors - the coloured objects are now slick bars but lack much of the color - which decrease contrast and visual definition in the model - making it harder to navigate visually structurally.
Fancy and slick but simultaniously a great decrease in user experience/friendliness - makes you wonder what is going on. So many question marks.

What are behind this update? I mean, an update was heavily needed, the UI was a dinasour, but this? How did they reason? For whom is this update?

How do you experience this?

Re: Model Builder - last weeks update

DanPatterson — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:16:50 GMT

modelbuilder was redesigned see ModelBuilder Redesign in

What's new in ArcGIS Pro 3.6—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

the base documentation is here

What is ModelBuilder?—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

A recent blog describes some changes but none related to some of your issues

ModelBuilder Reimagined: Modern Look, Intuitive Workflow

Addendum

Return pre-3.6 ModelBuilder! - Esri Community

An idea and some comments from the team regarding its current state

Re: Model Builder - last weeks update

RTPL_AU — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 01:22:09 GMT

Hi, Broken Record here.

I am disappointed with the design team. It's all fine and good to make something prettier but why are aesthetics prioritised over function in a tool that is used to swing money around?
We use Pro to make money, save money, distribute money, create money. I would hazard a guess the majority of users are employed by the public sector (your tax dollars are spent in every pause, hiccup, bug, user-searching-for-tool, etc), followed by national or multinational entities. Not trying to be trite but to achieve anything these days, you have influence or manage budgets, and GIS is a critical tool in that space.

Intuitive design means that new and old users can interpret, use, and be efficient with a tool without needing a lot of training. Part of that is being able to see what's going on at a glance, without needing to look 'hard' (technical term....) at something to figure out status or intent.

So many things in Pro (and AGOL for that matter) are in pastels & shades, with barely a hint of change to indicate status. Some choices in AGOL are particularly confusing with faint shades for a selected layer and a prominent outline when it is not selected. My design brain does not compute that.
With large monitors pretty common these days, visual blindspots (think of find the black dot optical illusion) are more of an issue and having clear, high contrast visual design cues are more important than ever.

ModelBuilder can be an extremely effective yet complex tool. Using pastels and light shades that just mush together when you zoom out is not cool or fresh. If that is what the focus group picked, the wrong questions were asked.
My gut says people want to use ModelBuilder to be more efficient. Please Esri, let them achieve that goal.

Oh, and with everything changed to look nice, why does the P still stick out on the corner to indicate a parameter?
I can think of a few aesthetically pleasing yet functional ways to show the same.

Re: Model Builder - last weeks update

Arp_148 — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:31:40 GMT

Thanks for the links 👍

Ps. "... sort of retired..." ? Ds.

Re: Model Builder - last weeks update

Arp_148 — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:35:12 GMT

Thanks for your input RTPL_AU.

Interesting with those P:s (or is it little flags?). I dont see them in my UI at all.

Re: Model Builder - last weeks update

DanPatterson — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:11:12 GMT

ModelBuilder vocabulary—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

way down at the bottom, they are modelbuilder "Parameters" (that is, the dialog will enable you to change/select from options if parameters are set)