## Problem to solve As described in the [linked research epic](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/5174), every quarter in the System Usability Scale survey https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/3848, we receive feedback from users who find it difficult to navigate throughout GitLab. Many users are dealing with this problem by bookmarking pages in their browsers, opening lots of tabs, or using To Dos to save links they need. Much of the feedback is focused on the organization of the items in the left navigation. We've identified areas that have duplicative functionality (multiple ways to get to the same page) and inconsistently applied patterns related to parent categories and list views. There are also several opportunities to improve the mental model by clarifying labels and reorganizing the hierarchy of items in the left navigation. ## Proposal Based on the outcomes of the research, we've identified the parts of the left nav that cause the most confusion. We should align the information architecture to meet our users' expectations and provide more confidence and predictability when navigating GitLab. At the same time, we should ensure we are consistent in how we apply patterns related to parent categories and the default list views. This is also a chance to refresh the styling of the left nav to improve scannability and consistency with Pajamas. ## Details There are some features in the left nav that have fairly complex logic driving their visibility and availability. This gets in the way of "simply" moving the link into a new section, as we have to untangle various dependencies before establishing the new paths. However, we want to reduce the volatility of the left nav by making as many changes as we can at once. We should strive to bundle as many of the changes as possible into this epic and identify next steps for any areas that are too complex to deliver in this MVC. ## How will we know if we're successful? ## What we'll do later The complexity mentioned above related to visibility of features is one that requires us to take a step back and think about how the left nav is created. Similar to our proposal to move to a [data-driven settings architecture](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/5557), we intend to investigate a way to abstract much of this logic into a more straightforward framework, allowing groups to self-serve when making changes to the left nav while remaining consistent with the patterns we establish in this MVC. ## Iteration plan **MVC** - Apply styling changes to the left nav - Consistently apply pattern for clicking parent menu items - Make as many of the IA changes as possible ## Relevant Research - https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/5174