Wed
Apr 2
2008
WordPress grows up and blossoms into a much prettier CMS. Does it have the substance to back up the good looks?
I had been itching to try out WordPress 2.5 for quite a while, mainly for its updated admin interface. With the recent public release, I was able to finally download and install it locally on my computer. Now that I’ve also upgraded the online installation of WordPress that powers this website, I’m happy to say that the latest version is a significant improvement over its predecessors, although it’s not without its quirks.
WordPress 2.5 comes with a big dollop of visual polish that makes it look more like a full-fledged application than a website. Gone are the inconsistent font sizes, misaligned text and borders, and mash-up of a navigation menu. The presentation of the new interface is much cleaner, and it’s obvious that the folks at WordPress and Happy Cog have put a lot of time and effort into making everything perfect.
I think part of the cleaner look can be attributed to the new color palette. The lighter background colors used in the structural elements make everything feel lighter and allows the text and interface to breathe. It’s a welcome improvement over the dark blues and hard borders of the previous design. It allows me to focus on the content by making the structure of the page inconspicuous.
But, maybe things are a little too inconspicuous. Whereas elements in previous versions created a visual tug-of-war for my eyeballs, the visual hierarchy in version 2.5 is a bit weak. This particularly bothers me in the navigation menu.
While the improved organization of menu items is fantastic, I think the lack of contrast between text and structural elements is a step backwards in usability. Although the contrast in the previous design was a bit jarring, it made the navigation menu conspicuous and easy to identify. In comparison, the text links in version 2.5 sit on a white background in close proximity to other elements, causing them to blend into the surrounding space:
Further exacerbating this problem is the lack of contrast between font sizes—second-level links are slightly smaller than first-level links, but barely noticeable. There’s also the contradictory typographic hierarchy on the right-side navigation (Settings, Plugins, Users), where the second-level links are a larger font than their parent-level links:
To address these problems, I suggest using smaller text for secondary links and refining the surrounding whitespace. I’ve mocked up a possible solution below:
What do you think?
The layout is now predominantly horizontal, making it better suited to consumption on computer screens. As I’ve expressed before, the web is a horizontal presentation environment, and our designs should reflect this medium. Some argue that the new Write/Edit Screen should have maintained the old sidebar functionality, reasoning that frequently used functions such as Categories and Discussion should be placed near the top where they can be accessed without scrolling all the way down. I think this is just a matter of being used to the old layout and being subjected to a learning curve.
Actually, I think the new layout makes much more sense. Previously, a mish-mash of commonly used functions were haphazardly split into the left and right columns. In version 2.5, all functions that affect the content and metadata of the post are in the left column, leaving only actions in the right column. When I say ‘actions,’ I’m referring to the functions of saving, publishing, and managing a post:
So, in the new WordPress, I can write my content and set all the relevant metadata as I work myself down the left column. When I’m done, I scroll up to the right column to save, publish, and timestamp the entry. Compare this to the old way:
Move back down to publish.
Phew! My eyeballs and scrolling finger are tired. The order in which each person does things probably differs, but writing and publishing a post in version 2.5 is a much more streamlined process thanks to the less archaic layout of its functions.
I think the new WordPress interface is a big improvement over previous versions. That’s not to suggest that it’s perfect, but I feel that the updated aesthetics and new layout have greatly improved the blogging experience. A few subtle changes here and there to improve typographic and structural hierarchy should make it even more competitive against the other CMS offerings. In the meantime, I’ll give the WordPress community and Happy Cog a big thumbs up for a job well done.
Your thoughts?
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Vincent
Sun, Apr 6, 2008
Honestly, the interface redesign was one of the best things to happen to WP that I had no idea it needed.
I’d been so comfortable in the old interface when I started using it. Simple to understand tabs, large clickable buttons, draggable interface elements, etc. What’s not to like?
But they streamlined so much. I regard Zeldman &co. very highly in this business, and they really delivered in spades (though as you noted, it’s not perfect, and will likely never be).
I think, ultimately, the face lift was a long time coming. I’ve used WP on client sites for no less than a year, and many have been using it professionally for much longer than that; it’s about time WordPress looked as professional and sophisticated as it actually is.
Thanks again for the comment!
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Dickson Fong
Mon, Apr 7, 2008
Vincent: Thanks for commenting!
Your statement highlights our amazing ability to adapt to the objects that we use. Even with the most unusable interface, given enough time and practice, many people can learn to use it quickly. Of course, anything should be designed to require the minimum amount of adaptation and learning necessary. It’s not that the old WordPress was difficult to use—it just required more thought than necessary, especially for people who are new to the CMS. Whether WordPress 2.5+ makes life easier for more experienced bloggers is something that we’ll witness with time.
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