AI Platform Navigation

Summary

Proposing to add a new top-level navigation group called "Automate" to house AI Platform features including AI Catalog, Agent Usage, Billing, and other agentic AI workflows at project and group levels.

Background

Link to epic / issue with overall feature proposal: &11111

Does this navigation proposal facilitate one of our primary JTBDs? Which job? Probably, though I'm unsure where to find this list and equally unsure if this is a documented one.

How does this change improve the workflow for users attempting to complete that job? Creates a dedicated, discoverable location for all AI Platform features, replacing the current fragmented approach where features are scattered across "Agents > Runs" and "Explore > AI Catalog". This consolidation provides a clear mental model for AI automation capabilities.

How many users will be impacted by this proposed change?

  • Limited
  • Moderate
  • All users

What is the product maturity stage of the associated feature?

  • Experimental
  • Beta
  • General availability

How often do you expect an average GitLab user (not just your target persona) to reach for this functionality?

  • Several times a day
  • Once a day
  • A few times a week
  • Once a week
  • Less than once a week

Current State: We currently have two fragmented entrypoints: "Agents Platform Index" in Agents > Runs and "AI Catalog" (feature flagged) in Explore > AI Catalog. We're building additional AI features that need a cohesive home.

Proposed Features:

  • Agents Platform Index (workflow runs)
  • AI Catalog (agents, workflows, tools collection)
  • Billing/Pricing for AI usage
  • Workflow/agent editor
  • Additional AI features in development

Approaches considered

  1. Keep current fragmented approach - Rejected due to poor discoverability and inconsistent user experience
  2. Expand existing "Agents" section - Current name doesn't cover full AI Platform scope and isn't a verb like other top-level groups
  3. Add under existing "Manage" or "Plan" - Features don't conceptually fit under these existing groups
  4. New top-level "Automate" group - Chosen approach that follows verb-based naming convention and clearly represents AI automation capabilities

Justification

The growing AI Platform feature set warrants dedicated top-level navigation due to:

  • Feature scope: Multiple substantial features (catalog, usage tracking, billing, editors)
  • Strategic importance: High organizational focus on agentic AI capabilities
  • User workflow: AI automation represents a distinct job-to-be-done separate from traditional plan/manage/deploy activities
  • Naming consistency: "Automate" follows established verb-based naming pattern while accurately describing AI agent functionality

Proposed Structure:

Project/Group Nav:
├─ Manage
├─ Plan  
├─ [...]
├─ Automate
│  ├─ AI Catalog
│  ├─ Agent Usage
│  ├─ Billing
│  ├─ [Other AI features]

Explore:
├─ Projects
├─ Groups
├─ [...]
├─ AI Catalog

Review checklist

Requester

  • Review the handbook page for navigation.
  • Add relevant information to the issue description detailing your proposal, including usage and business drivers.
  • List at least two other places you considered to introduce your feature.
  • Add relevant designs to the Design Management area of the issue.
  • Ensure your UI suggestion align with the Documentation Style Guide.
  • Engage Technical Writing. They can help craft a term that best describes the feature(s) you're proposing.
  • Follow the product development workflow validation process to ensure you are solving a well understood problem and that the proposed change is understandable and non-disruptive to users. Navigation-specific research is mandatory for additions or when restructuring.
  • Engage the Foundations Product Manager for approval. The Foundations DRI (@jtucker_gl) will work with UX partners in product design, research, and technical writing, as applicable.
  • Consider whether you need to communicate the change somehow, or if you will have an interim period in the UI where your item will live in more than one place.
  • Ensure engineers are familiar with the implementation steps for navigation.

Foundations Product Manager

  • Confirm proposal has necessary information
  • Schedule design review for next milestone

Foundations Product Designer

  • Confirm Pajamas guidelines are followed
  • Confirm a11y needs are addressed
  • Confirm burden of proof supplied for stated scope of access
Edited by Sam Beckham