The U.S. Web Design System (USWDS) was created to help Federal agencies build websites that are fast, accessible, and easy to use. It offers a toolkit of code and resources to create websites that work well on mobile devices and follow accessibility guidelines. More than 25 Federal agencies, including NASA, the IRS, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, use this system to provide important information to the public.
The WordPress admin dashboard is where users manage a website’s content. It’s important to make sure this dashboard is easy for content creators, managers, and publishers to use. If it’s confusing or cluttered, they might not want to use it, and the site could suffer as a result.
One way to improve the dashboard is by creating templates for different types of content, so users have a clear starting point. Simplifying the main dashboard landing page by showing only the most frequently used options can also help. Additionally, organizing the sidebar and limiting unnecessary choices or actions for different user levels makes the process smoother.
Atomic design is a bottom-up methodology that breaks down web design into smaller elements. The smallest components are “atoms,” which form “molecules” when combined, and these molecules come together to create “organisms” that represent templates or pages. This approach simplifies complex designs into manageable parts while maintaining a cohesive structure.
In WordPress, the Gutenberg Block Editor aligns with atomic design by using blocks—such as paragraphs or images—that serve as atoms or molecules, creating flexible, reusable components for building dynamic and user-friendly websites.
The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) helps big companies manage large projects by using Agile methods. It gives clear rules about roles, responsibilities, and how to plan and organize work. SAFe was designed to spread Agile and lean ideas across the whole organization, making it easier for teams to work together on big projects. SAFe works well for large businesses and has been used by groups like NASA. Some important values in SAFe are alignment, quality, transparency, and program execution. These values help teams stay organized, focused, and flexible as projects change.
We’ve been closely tracking the federal government’s progress taking on the challenges of digital modernization. Last fall, the Office of Management and Budget published OMB M-23-22, Delivering a Digital First Public Experience and we believe it is an excellent definition of what it means to design, delivery, and operate a modern Web experience. One of…
Lone Rock Point is proud to be one of the sponsors or the 2023 edition of WordPress Accessibility Day, a 24-hour global event dedicated to promoting and learning website accessibility best practices for WordPress websites. This is an amazing community event led by some of the best thought leaders we have in the WordPress community,…
J.J. Toothman joined Cory Miller to talk about his journey with WordPress and the origins of Lone Rock Point.
Earlier this week, Lone Rock Point helped NASA reach a major milestone in its Web Modernization program by launching a public beta of the NASA Flagship website with a modernized UX operating on WordPress. We’re so happy to share this with the world for the first time and its been delightful to watch the reaction…
In their keynote address at WordCamp US San Diego, Phil Crumm and Helen Hou-Sandi emphasized the importance of developers focusing not only on building systems but also on enhancing the editorial experience. They pointed out a common issue: while developers excel at building backend functionality and ensuring the front end looks great, the “editorial experience” — where content creators work — often suffers from neglect.
This gap erodes user trust, as content creators, the “superusers” of platforms like WordPress, face a disconnect between what they see and what the final user experiences. By creating more intuitive, direct experiences that bridge this gap, developers can build trust and encourage wider adoption of new tools and functionality.
Helen’s work on the White House website was highlighted as an example of how thoughtful design can lead to a seamless editorial process. Developers were urged to spend as much time refining the user experience for content creators as they do on the front-end for readers, ensuring that the tools are easy to use and encourage confidence in the platform.
This shift, the speakers suggested, is crucial to re-democratizing the content creation process in WordPress and maintaining its relevance in a rapidly evolving web ecosystem.