With a market spanning DIY to Enterprise, WordPress has cemented itself as the tool of choice for nearly 30% of the world’s internet creators. We celebrate the robust content engine and the thousands of themes available, but with so much ‘done for us’, where does the role of designer fit within the WordPress environment, and how can we continue to use design to influence and shape the experience of WordPress for businesses, developers, DIY’ers and their respective audiences. Presented by Cath Hughes @liveby5ive at WordCamp Sydney 2018

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Beyond the theme…
Affirming the role of the
designer in the WordPress
ecosystem
GET MY SLIDES HERE

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Good Design Is Invisible

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We Know It’s Good When
• It’s easy to use the learning curve is slight
• The interface is consistent and intuitive
• Design elements equal or rival current trends
and expectations
• It works the way you need it too
• You forget about the software and just use it
• It gets the job done
<Tinder ‘Swipe’ Img>

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In Todays Talk
• WordPress Interface History
• What goes on behind the design of WordPress
• Who is the team behind it
• How decisions are made
• Some insights to the future
• … and how you can help shape it
•

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WordPress Interface Timeline

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‘Gold’ - 2003 - 1.0
This Is the Body Text
• This Is Body Text With a Bullet
•

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‘Duke’ - 2005 - 2.0

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‘Breaker’ - 2008 - 2.5

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‘Coltrane’ - 2010 - 3.0

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‘Sonny’ - 2011 - 3.3

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‘Oscar’ - 2013 - 3.6

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‘Parker’ - 2013 - 3.8
This Is the Body Text
• This Is Body Text With a Bullet
•

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‘Billie’ - 2015 - 4.3
This Is the Body Text
• This Is Body Text With a Bullet
•

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2018 > Gutenberg is coming
A New Publishing Experience
for WordPress Is in the Works:
Get Ready To Make Your
Words, Pictures, and Layout
Look as Good on Screen as
They Do in Your Imagination,
Without any Code.
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/
“

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Behind the Scenes

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Some WordPress Design Team Facts
• 2 full time members of the design team who work for Automattic
• XXX members who volunteer or who have time donated to them from
their business
• XX trac tickets on average they are working on at any one time
• 2 meetings per week
• Another Fact

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What Are They Working On
• WordPress Core Interface & elements Design
• Feature Design
• Plugin Design
• Feature Themes for Core and Special Projects (Eg WordCamp Themes
• Another Thing
• Another Thing

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Meet The Team

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Tammie (Automattic)
<Tammie Facts>
<Interview>
Tammie Quote
“

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Tim (Yoast)
<Tim Facts>
<Interview Video>
Tim Quote
“

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Joshua (Xwp)
<Joshua Facts>
<Interview Vide>
Joshua Quote
“

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Get Involved

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Make WordPress Great Again
<Make WordPress - Get Involved>

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Thank you
• Cath’s Details etc
•

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References & Image Credits
https://codex.wordpress.org/History
https://www.wpexplorer.com/history-wordpress-ui/
https://www.codeinwp.com/blog/evolution-of-wordpress-ui/
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/handbook/reference/design-principles/
https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/gutenberg/