Allow Service Desk only projects (no repository, etc.)
As a person responsible for user support
I want to run a Service Desk with just an issue board and a knowledge base
And have no unrelated items in the navigation bar
So that I'm not distracted
And the reduced user interface feels like a focused Service Desk software.
Why? / Motivation
We run end user software in the Web and have a feedback box and support email address to allow our users to get in touch with us (to clarify questions, help with technical problems, etc.). To cleanly separate user support from software development in daily business, we have set up a separate GitLab project with
- just the Service Desk and
- the Wiki enabled,
including Issues (as the Service Desk requires them). To take advantage of custom email footers, we had to activate also the Repository to allow to maintain and use a .gitlab/issue_templates/email-footer.md
template, which is configured in Settings > General > Service Desk.
Resulting User Interface
The resulting GitLab project interface presents itself to the support operator like in the table below on the left. If we decide to let go of the custom email footers (and disable the Repository) we get a navigation like below on the right.
Note, how congested the navigation menu is, in both cases:
Service Desk + Wiki + Issues + Repo | Service Desk + Wiki + Issues |
---|---|
What is nice about the latter approach (on the right), while having to sacrifice an important feature, is that the Wiki home page directly greets you as you enter the project. Which is nice for, potentially non-coding, support people as a simplified, easy to customize "dashboard".
Proposed Solution
It should be possible to
- Configure a reduced interface, which is solely targeted to performing Service Desk tasks (ticket handling, ticket triaging, knowledge base).
- Configure the Service Desk (e.g. custom email footer) without having to activate features designed for developers.
- Optionally activate more technical features (e.g. Operations > Error Tracking, Alerts, Incidents) for more technical support staff.
In short,
- everything not strictly needed in the navigation should be hidden.
- features that have cross-domain dependencies (e.g. Service Desk and Repository) should be uncoupled.
Side Note
Similarly, it should also be possible to configure an "Issue & Boards only" project to handle just tasks, without a strict focus on software development or IT operations. Even a "Wiki only" project might be a realistic use case.