This site has been updated, and while things are still being finalised, I wanted to share some of the changes I’ve made so far. My goals for this redesign were to create a strong foundation for future growth while also incorporating a sense of fun and playfulness.
This site is my experimentation space; things may still have bugs, and I will work them out. However, sharing how I got to this point is something I find remarkable when others do so. Here we are.
Setting boundaries
I knew from the start that I wanted a design with some pretty firm boundaries. I like this because often it’s a great way to create.
I knew what I wanted to achieve, which was inspired by RandomA11y, where you get different accessible colour combinations each time. I wanted to take that into the design and ensure I could have a color scheme that was the central focus, but also allowed for changing easily.
Cycling Schemes
I decided to use variations for this and load them using a cycler block. To achieve this, I create an interface that generates results similar to Random A11y. The system would have a few pieces to it:
- An interface to generate the variations and save them as files. This was generated using the colour names and also either AA or AAA.
- A cycler block with a front-end icon. This also shows the type be it AA or AAA of the color scheme.
- A straightforward theme with minimal styling.
For now, I have split out the functionality into two plugins, but I plan to combine them later. I also installed the theme and back interface plugin on my portfolio, but instead of using the cycler, I selected the default option. This was something I also wanted to do, and that theme will be particular to my portfolio.
Setting defaults to go
I experimented with never having a default and also allowing the variation to be set by anyone visiting the site. It could get quite interesting doing that. In the end, I decided on a few simple rules:
- On your first visit, you will be presented with the default set in the site editor.
- Then you get to cycle to whatever you want to see.
- When you revisit your adventure, it can start again.
It’s all running from variations, which also allowed me some curation aspect. Whilst I adored the truly random, it gives me the chance to decide the pool to pick from this way.
Next steps
I also plan to improve the theme foundation, which is currently very minimal, as I shared, and is still a work in progress. I want to examine adaptation, refine block styling, and enhance its functionality. Until then, I am focusing on letting defaults work.
It’s still an experiment, and when it’s less freshly baked, I will release everything in a repo to share. I want to be sure it’s not got some bugs in the cake batter. Until then, please use the cycle icon and see what colour scheme you might get. I’ll be loading more over time.