User Experience for
WordPress Platforms
MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc

Cody Landefeld
Managing Director at Mode Effect
!
10+ YEARS IN DESIGN/WEB
8+ YEARS IN WordPress
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Why User Experience?
Why is it important?
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“User Experience” encompasses all aspects of the
end-user’s interaction with the company,
service, or products.

Why should User Experience
matter for us?
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Because we are the builders.
We have the ability to create great things
for people who want to create
great things.
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Our Experience Case:
Samaritan’s Purse
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Our Experience Case
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What the client needed:
!
1. To publish tons of video content.
2. Multiple responsive views for viewing
had to be optimal for end users.
3. 3rd party video integration.
!
MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc

What did we learn
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1. Automation was key for publishing.
2. Users needed multiple levels of access.
3. End-users needed to take action by
feeling emotion.
!
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Today we’ll look at two
different personas.
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Let’s meet our first persona.
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• 53 Years old
• Insurance Adjuster for 2 decades
• Wants to start a business online
• Is a “do it yourself” type
• Finds out about WordPress
!
!
Randy Userman.
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Randy starts his journey…
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1. Finds WordPress
2. Gets a theme
3. Puts together a few plugins
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Then starts to hit a wall.
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User Misconceptions
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Because it’s designed well, it’s built well.
Because it’s developed well, it should be designed well.
WordPress is easy for everyone to use or build with.
!
!
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What should Randy do?
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1. Learn to code?
2. Hire a developer?
3. Give up?
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What do you think?
!
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MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc
Considering empathy, how do we
help Randy and other users
when they get confused, lost,
and frustrated?

MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc
Learn and practice empathy for
your users.
!
• Understand your users
• Know their frustrations
• Know some of their constraints
• Solicit good feedback

Next persona.
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Rich Buserman.
• 33 Years old
• Has an MBA, Has Investors
• Non Technical Entrepreneur
• Wants to start a business online
• Is NOT a “do it yourself” type
• Finds out about WordPress
!
!
MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc

Rich starts his journey…
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1. Hires a development company
2. Works with them to plan / design / build
3. Is unable to technically lead the project
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User Misconceptions
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Because he can pay well, it will work well.
WordPress is the best possible choice. (It might not be)
Trusting developers for design direction.
!
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What can we do as Rich’s
development company?
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1. Choose the right platform depending on the
requirements.
2. Go deeper with front-end design.
3. Ask for help in your network.
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What do you think?
!
MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc

What are we missing?
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User Experience is not
just for design.
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Resources for Explanation
• Why User Experience Cannot Be Designed
• Empathy Requires Experience
!
For WordPress
• How Many Of These 7 UX Blunders Is
Your WordPress Site Making?
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Thanks.
!
Visit modeeffect.com for articles and
good UX stuff.
MODE EFFECT .com // @codyL // #wcoc