Build a compelling vision as a north star for navigation
💡 Problem to solve
We've continually received feedback that navigating around GitLab is hard. As the product has grown, so has its array of rich features which consequently has created clutter and noise in the UI. As result this has lead to three distinct yet interrelated themes we'd like to address:
- Minimize feeling overwhelmed
- Orient users across the platform
- Pickup where you left off
🎯 Goal
To make these challenges more approachable, we are going to construct 3-4 prototypes that conceptualizes the direction we might build towards in the future milestones. This effort will help:
- Identify the riskiest assumptions
- Bring cross-stage alignment
- Provide space for new ideas
- Create an alternative to compare against baseline
- Create an accessible navigation
- Identify areas of opportunities based on themes we see in SUS and our backlog
- Align category strategy that allows us to develop the next iteration of our direction page
- Establish a common vision that motivates the team
📋 What's next?
As we progress in our learning, new tasks or issues may appear. This plan only serves to help discuss what is coming up in the short term as we work on this long term vision.
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Draft themes to influence the scope of the desi... (#367545 - closed) -
Build a prototype each week (#366338 - closed) -
Breakdown solution ideas into lower fidelity (#367687 - closed) -
Add in useful details to lo-fi concepts (#368629 - closed) -
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/ux-research/-/issues/2001+ -
Establish a list of tasks to concepts against (#367544 - closed) -
Run pilot studies (by August 1) -
Launch concept tests and collect results (by August 8) -
Analyze results of concept testing @alasch
@aregnery
(by August 17) -
Share out findings
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Refine concepts down to 2-3 options using research findings @aregnery
(by August 26) -
Create research plan for comparative testing based on insights from concept testing @alasch
(by September 7)- This test should build confidence in a navigation direction among different user groups (technical and non technical), as well as different personas. This likely means a more in depth study with a larger set of tasks and refined prototypes.
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Build functioning prototypes, using the research plan to flesh out what interactions need to be built (by September 9) -
Prototype 1 - @aregnery
(Software Developer, Product Manager, Security Professional) -
Prototype 2 - @nickbrandt
(Software Developer, Product Manager, Security Professional)
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Wrap up and close vision and north star work
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Move ongoing research schedule into research issue. -
MVC epic created: &9044 -
Tracking plan epic: &9134 (closed) -
Close north star vision issue
🔗 References
There is a lot of history, and this section can't include everything but it does include some insightful details that might be useful for referencing again in the future.
▶ ️ Google Slides
Only available to GitLab Team members. Useful for quickly findings verbatims related to navigation struggles.
- FY23-Q3 System Usability Scale - SaaS - Results Overview
- FY23-Q1 System Usability Scale - SaaS - Results Overview
- FY22-Q4 System Usability Scale - Results Overview
- FY22-Q3 System Usability Scale - Results Overview
- FY22-Q2 System Usability Scale - Results Overview
- FY22-Q1 System Usability Scale - Results Overview
🍿 Unfiltered Videos
There are numerous, but here are a few if you want to get the popcorn out and catch-up on where things are at.
📄 Historical blogs
We can learn a lot about what worked well in the past. Check out how we evolved the navigation in the past.
🦊 Issues
These are insightful light nuggets of gold for considering future changes.
- Discussion: Navigation retrospective ♻️ (#353648 - closed)
- Personal dashboard as homepage (#366457)
- https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/342877+
- Left Sidebar IA: Competitor Analysis (ux-research#1279 - closed)
- Sync working sessions to make progress on notif... (gitlab-design#2066 - closed)
- Improve discoverability of the setting for enab... (#233429)
✨ Objectives and Key Results
We have several open epics to ensure that we stay on track towards defining this vision.