Making WordPress Better, The Admin Menu

I’ve been thinking about WordPress a lot. I love the product, the platform and the people behind it. Still there are things that could be better. Much better.

There are many small things that make WordPress confusing. Difficult and even hard for some.

I feel WordPress is like a desktop OS. Much like Windows and OS X.

WordPress Admin Menu. There Are Many Ways To Do The Same Thing

There are many ways to do the same thing. The experience is not consistent. WordPress on the web is different from WordPress on mobile.

Matt once said that building WordPress for mobile is a great opportunity to rethink WordPress from scratch.

That’s great. Still the experience for almost 1/4 sites on the web running WordPress is not even close to the improved mobile experience.

Creating new content in WordPress is a great example.

Click on the + New menu in the top bar.
Mouse over Posts menu then click on Add New
Mouse over Page menu then click on Add New
Mouse over Media menu then click on Add New

That’s 4 different ways available at once to do the same thing. Confusing.

There is even a fifth way to add new content. Listing all posts or media or pages and a new “Add New” button appears.

WordPress mobile offers a different, sixth way of creating content.

Even wording in the WordPress admin menu is somehow confusing or not appropriate.

Creating a “new post” make sense for WordPress as a blogging / publishing tool. What about WordPress e-shops? They add products not posts. They create listings.

WordPress mobile follows the same semi confusing logic. The icon for creating new content is a + sign with a pen next to it. That’s great for writing a blog post. What about posting photos on a photo gallery site? The pen icon is irrelevant.

Suggested solution: Use + as a sign and icon for new content across the board. Simplify the WordPress admin with single purpose buttons and experiences, like WordPress mobile.

WordPress Admin Menu. How A Setting Is Different From An Option?

Settings and Screen Options is another point of confusion. How a setting is different from an option? Why Screen Options appear on some pages but not others?

Suggested solution: Adopt the iOS UX. Add an Edit menu on Dashboard boxes next to the little triangle icon. Each box has its own settings. Everything else is in Settings.

Just to make things clear. I am not saying that people working for WordPress. Not even suggesting that. On the contrary. It’s because the people who make WordPress love the product and the platform, WordPress can be better for the next billion coming online. Starting from the WordPress Admin menu.