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The need for standardisation
It’s almost adorable the way we accept in most of our theme processes in WordPress the lack of standardisation. However, it has to stop for business, productivity and sheer sensibility. Standardising doesn’t mean removing creativity; in fact, lack of it often does. Which means the need for it is even more urgent. What do I…
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People see content not terms
Naming can get very complicated. Often labels are put on things, and heated views are delivered around what should or shouldn’t be called. When it comes down to it, what is essential is to observe how someone will use the experience, what they will think of and then name from there. Most of the naming…
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Patterns empower
One of the most frequent things someone says when creating something using WordPress is I ‘want it like this’. They look at a site and want something, but then they are stuck. The ‘how’ seems far, and the chasm across implementation is vast. Creating is just too complex, and often the end result is one…
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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…
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Being Brave
This post is from a talk given as part of the JS for WP conference and is the transcript presented. You can find the full slides here. The word ‘brave’, means different things to different people. What comes into your mind when you think of being brave? Is it of someone saving someone? Is it…
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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…
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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…
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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…