Design: Star any object within GitLab
Problem
As part of exploring homepage designs, we started discussing how people could save links to specific pages in the UI, which we initially called bookmarks. We flagged that there are currently a number of similar concepts in the product currently, including pinning and starring.
If we introduce a way to save links to specific pages into the product, how would it work/look? What would we call it? Would it co-exist with similar concepts already existing in the product, or replace them?
Background research
As part of https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/ux-research/-/issues/3395+, we took an early temperature check on the concept of bookmarking/favoriting links to pages within the UI. We found that people responded favorably to the idea, and suggested they would value its introduction into the product. People are currently using browser bookmarks to navigate to specific GitLab pages, like merge request lists, frequent groups, CI/CD catalogue, and issue boards. If the feature existed, participants suggested wanting to "save" links to epics, projects, issue boards, pipeline creation pages, and potentially to important external resources (docs, wiki pages).
Expected work as part of this issue:
-
Communicate with other teams working on related concepts, including the Plan team working on GLQL, and the team working on the upcoming feature, "Saved Views" -
Clarify the user needs that we expect the feature will serve, and what objects it will apply to -
Clarify how it will interact with similar concepts, such as pinning and starring -
Define how we expect the feature will work in the product
Proposal
We are aiming to address the following user need: "I want to save certain items that are important to me so I can easily access them later."
Current patchwork solutions for "saving" items (starring, emoji reactions, to-dos, pinning), which only apply to specific objects, create inconsistency and confusion that we'd like to address.
Given that stars are primarily used to "save"/"bookmark" pages within GitLab currently, our intention is to build on the existing star system rather than introduce a new system from scratch. Our proposal is to extend the current star system so that people can "favorite" any object/page within the product. This change will allow people to easily access the pages that are important to them, from wherever they are in the product.
The feature will:
- Provide a unified system for saving and accessing any object (Groups, Projects, Work items, MRs, Saved Views/GLQL views).
- Build on the existing star system, by extending stars to apply to any object.
- Strive for a consistent user experience regardless of object type.
- Establish a clear distinction from notification and reminder systems.
The feature will not
- Duplicate notification functionality (requires a separate, dedicated solution).
- Replace reminder systems (requires a separate, dedicated solution).
- Replace the pinned items feature, which still helps people to organize navigation items within projects.
Current designs are visible in the design section of this issue.