Draft: Minimized navigation with settings pane

Design Brief

This change pickups the direction from Sneak Peek and brings it into our current setup. It focuses on reducing cognitive load in the sidebar by providing sensible defaults for minimized navigation. Instead of showing all navigation sections collapsed, users see only their pinned items by default, with the feature library and settings (pane) readily accessible as entry points to discover and configure features.

• Reduced UI: When the sidebar is minimized, users see only pinned items—no collapsed section headers or empty states. This creates a cleaner, less overwhelming navigation interface that focuses on what they've chosen to use.

• Intentional navigation building: Users can progressively build their navigation by pinning features from the Feature Library. This shifts from a "show everything collapsed" model to a "show what matters to you" model, reducing initial cognitive load while maintaining full discoverability.

• Straightforward feature discovery: The feature library modal provides multiple ways to explore features—by category, alphabetically, by recommendation, or by newest. Users can search and browse without the sidebar expanding, keeping the interface minimal while remaining discoverable.

• Simplified setting discoverability: Settings are accessible through a dedicated settings pane rather than scattered throughout the sidebar. This gives users a clear, organized entry point for configuration without cluttering the main navigation.

• Progressive complexity: New or casual users see a minimal sidebar with just their essentials, reducing overwhelm. Power users can build a richer pinned navigation over time as they discover features through the feature library, allowing the interface to grow with their needs.

Screenshots or screen recordings

Before	After