Building toward V3 with improved UI and experience

During this week's engineering demo, our engineering team shared updates on our V3 UI development progress. While V3 is not yet available in production, we wanted to give you a glimpse into the improvements we're building for this upcoming version. Aaron, our principal engineer, demonstrated significant interface updates that will make the platform more intuitive and user-friendly when V3 launches.

V3 UI update: A more streamlined experience ahead

Aaron shared substantial progress on the V3 user interface, showcasing a completely reimagined homepage and navigation system.

The new interface centers around a cleaner, more intuitive design that puts your workflow first. When you're logged in, you'll see a streamlined homepage with a slide-out menu system that keeps everything within reach without cluttering your workspace. The navigation adapts to whether you're a new or returning user - if you're not logged in, you'll see traditional marketing navigation, but once you're working within the platform, everything focuses on your productivity.

One of the most significant improvements is the new prompt bar system. Instead of the current simple input, V3 will offer three distinct modes: 

• agent mode for complex tasks that might involve multiple tools and document generation
• chat mode for traditional conversational interactions similar to current Storytell functionality 
• and an automation builder for creating repeatable workflows 

This gives you the right tool for whatever task you're tackling. The interface also includes a personalized information area that will guide you based on your experience level and usage patterns. If you've never uploaded a file, it might prompt you to try that feature. When we release new capabilities, this space will help you discover and learn about them. We're even planning to use this area to highlight webinars and other learning opportunities.

Credit system: Transparent usage tracking

V3 introduces a comprehensive credit system that makes your usage completely transparent. You'll always know exactly how many credits you have available, what plan you're on, and how quickly your credits replenish. This information moves from the prompt bar to a more prominent location in the interface, making it easy to track without getting in your way while you work.

The system operates on a "pay per drink" model where you subscribe to a plan that includes a certain amount of monthly usage, but you can purchase additional credit packs if you're using Storytell heavily. This flexibility means you're never stuck waiting for the next billing cycle if you need to accomplish more.

We're designing four tiers: 

• a free plan that lets you sample our capabilities, 
• a pro plan with substantial monthly credits and the ability to purchase additional packs
• a team plan that adds collaboration and integration features
• an unlimited enterprise plan with advanced organizational controls.

Enhanced agent workflows

The V3 agent mode represents a significant evolution in how Storytell handles complex requests. Aaron demonstrated how the system now provides detailed visibility into each step of the process while avoiding information overload. You can see exactly what the system is thinking and planning, but these details automatically collapse once complete unless you've interacted with them.

The system now breaks down complex tasks into clear phases: analyzing your request, planning a strategy, executing searches and tool calls, and generating final responses. Each phase shows you exactly what's happening, from entity identification and language detection to determining the best approach for your specific need. This transparency helps you understand not just what Storytell is doing, but why it's taking specific actions.

Behind the scenes, V3 carefully tracks token usage across different AI models and services, ensuring accurate credit calculation while you work. This detailed accounting happens automatically, so you can focus on your tasks while maintaining complete visibility into your usage.

Product demonstrations through the platform

One innovative feature coming to V3 is the ability to showcase Storytell's capabilities using the platform itself. The system will include curated playback demonstrations that show real workflows at accelerated speeds, letting potential users see exactly how different features work in practice. This means when you're exploring what Storytell can do, you'll see actual examples rather than abstract descriptions.

What this means for your workflow

These V3 improvements focus on making your experience with Storytell more intuitive and powerful. The new interface reduces cognitive load by organizing tools logically and adapting to your needs. The credit system provides complete transparency about usage without nickel-and-diming you for basic functionality. Enhanced agent workflows give you visibility into complex processes while keeping the interface clean and focused.

While V3 is still in development, these updates represent our commitment to building a platform that truly supports how you work. We'll continue sharing progress as V3 development advances.
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Check out the full engineering demo here:

Want to learn more about V3? Check out this video from our CEO, DROdio, about what’s ahead:

Become an Alpha or Beta Tester

Get early access to features as we release them by becoming an alpha or beta tester. Here's how to sign up: https://docs.storytell.ai/about/early-access