A Few UX Suggestions for GemPages Layer Tree

Hi GemPages Team,

I hope you're doing well!

I've recently started using GemPages for Shopify, and I wanted to reach out because I've been genuinely enjoying the experience. The platform is powerful, intuitive, and has made building pages much faster than I expected.

As a UI/UX and Product Designer with over 10 years of experience designing digital products, I naturally pay close attention to user workflows and interaction patterns. While working on a few projects, I noticed a couple of opportunities that I believe could further improve the editing experience, particularly within the Layer Tree.

Figma file: https://www.figma.com/design/WoxmzHfqzKGj01r5YIPIEa/GemPages?node-id=1-4133&t=pB3D9TTWVz1j96zX-1

1. More Compact Layer Tree

The current Layer Tree occupies a significant portion of the canvas area. A more compact version could help users maintain better visibility of the page while still navigating through sections and elements efficiently.

2. Visible Drag Handle for Better Discoverability

Adding a dedicated drag handle (such as a six-dot icon) beside layers could make drag-and-drop functionality more obvious, especially for new users. This follows common UX patterns found in modern design and no-code tools, improving discoverability and reducing friction.

3. Resizable Layer Tree Panel

For larger pages with deep hierarchies, the fixed panel width can make navigation difficult, as layer names become truncated and nested structures harder to understand. Allowing users to resize the panel would provide greater flexibility and significantly improve the experience when managing complex page structures.

These are relatively small enhancements, but I believe they could have a meaningful impact on usability, particularly for designers, agencies, and power users who work with larger projects.

I created these concepts simply because I've enjoyed using the product and wanted to contribute some ideas that might be valuable for the team.

Thank you for building such a great tool, and I appreciate your time reviewing these suggestions. I'd be happy to discuss any of the ideas further if they're useful.

Wishing the team continued success!

Best regards,

Zozimo Soares
UI/UX & Product Designer