Knowledge Base Page Sidebar
Users currently lack a way to easily browse and navigate between topics within the knowledge base. Without a sidebar, they must return to a main index or scroll through long pages, leading to a frustrating experience and reduced content discoverability.
When do they experience this issue?
Anytime users are reading an article and want to move to another related topic or section without starting over.
💡 Proposed Solution
How are we solving this problem?
Implement a sticky sidebar on all knowledge base article pages that lists key categories and articles. This sidebar will allow users to browse related content without leaving the page.
Alternatives considered
- Top navigation tabs were considered but found to be less intuitive on mobile and harder to scale with growing content.
What is the general shape of this solution?
The sidebar will be positioned to the left (or collapsible on mobile), listing categories and expandable items under each category to show related articles.
Mockups, prototypes, or comparisons
[Insert link or image of wireframes or design mockups for the sidebar]
How will we know if this is successful?
Increased article views per session, reduced time-to-resolution for common questions, and reduced support ticket volume.
Performance considerations
Sidebar should be lightweight and cached efficiently to avoid slowing down page load times, especially on mobile.
📅 Development Plan
What are we building?
A collapsible, responsive sidebar for the knowledge base that dynamically loads article categories and links.
How will it work?
- On page load, the sidebar will fetch the latest category/article structure.
- Articles will be nested under categories, and clicking will navigate directly to that article without leaving the knowledge base.
- The sidebar will remain visible (or collapsible) as users scroll.
How will we ensure it works?
We will test across screen sizes, ensure accessibility (keyboard nav + screen reader support), and test integration with the content management system.
When will it be ready?
MVP ready for internal testing in 2 weeks; public rollout within 3–4 weeks.
🏁 Launch Checklist
1. Internal Alignment
- [ ] Can we clearly explain what this change is?
- [ ] Have we shared the details of this change with relevant teams (support, product, engineering)?
2. External Messaging
- [ ] Will users be aware of this new sidebar feature?
- [ ] Does any help documentation need to be updated?
3. Quality Assurance
- [ ] Has the feature been tested across browsers and devices?
- [ ] Is the sidebar accessible and responsive?
4. Metrics & Measurement
- [ ] Do we know what success looks like and how to track it?
- [ ] Are dashboards or alerts configured?
5. Launch Plan
- [ ] Stakeholders aligned?
- [ ] Content in sidebar final and accurate?
- [ ] CMS and sidebar integration tested?
🛠 Additional Notes or Requirements
- Dependencies: Content team to finalize and structure article categories.
- Risks: Potential for outdated links if articles are moved or renamed; mitigate with real-time syncing to CMS.