-
Theme creation is now easier
The way that themes have evolved within WordPress has made creating them easier. That feels like a bold statement, but it’s true. Themes have been on quite a journey from their origins of simple files through to complex compilers, frameworks and now have come back almost full circle with more levels, options for creation and…
-
Designers grow in open source
When design is mentioned in open source, it’s often as a scarce resource, one yearned for or maybe hasn’t had an easy time. I think this might be problematic and needs changing. Designers can use open source projects as a growth opportunity and learn in a space that is accessible. I would go as far…
-
The importance of testing early and often
This week saw the release of WordPress 5.8 ‘Tatum’. It\’s a huge milestone on the full site editing journey, the new WordPress experience’s grand adventure. With every release comes a pause, a moment to reflect, yet it’s important to consider testing continually. We all create this experience together by testing and finding the problems, the…
-
Technical words matter
Words matter; we put labels on things, we put labels on each other. Those labels lead to judgements. The ways we judge what capability someone has or hasn’t in something technical only tend to lead to harm, I’ve found. It\’s a way to limit before you even know someone, and that\’s one way to block…
-
Look before you work
I had a Labrador that was fearless about jumping into the water. No matter what body of water it was, she would launch herself into it, seemingly without checking the depth or anything in a blissful trust of the water. Of course, we’d all love to have that total trust as we start a project…
-
My talk writing process
Over the years, the way I write talks has varied. It’s morphed and iterated to a place where there is a particular flow I go through every talk. I wanted to share this as often I feel the creating of talk is an unknown thing, so here is how I do just that. Note storming…
-
Thinking back to the role of design in enabling community
As 2019 begins and the noise of social networks rings in our ears, I can’t but help reflect on the state of communities online. Can anything be salvaged from this current state of noise? What can design bring to the table in enabling communities. Back in 2013, I was lucky enough in May of that year…
-
Speaking when you are not made for speaking
This weekend I spoke at WordCamp Manchester and again feel privileged for every chance I get to have space for my voice. This isn’t a talk where I share my slides and notes though, this is a little more personal. Speaking for me often seems something every part of me isn’t made for. This isn’t…
-
The user is the casualty of our modern building process
It seems like not a day, even hour, goes past without some new amazing framework or outstanding technique that you just have to try. Posts stream past social media on this break through, that amazing new hotness and ‘oh my wow this just changes everything’! In all this excitement, all this wonder, haven’t we forgotten…
-
Selling to the herd
One of the things about humans is we are whether we like it or not a herd animal. We have an instinct to move as a group and our primitive brain responds just like a herding animal. When creating interaction paths even in digital purchasing, you can use this aspect of human nature. Supermarkets are…