This article is from a previous WordPress Norwich Meetup giving live WordPress Support, this is archived and may not be up to date.
The WordPress Norwich Meetup had one of its best turnouts so far. This year, the Norwich meetup is still growing organically. In 2020, we plan to add structure with speakers and better promotion. We’ll look for local speakers and sponsors to support future events. I’ll also get more involved in organising the WordPress Norwich Meetup, which I’m really excited about.
The importance of the WordPress Admin experience
The key points of this meetup included discussing the importance of the WordPress Admin experience, with a focus on:
- Who updates content on your website?
- Admin and Editor user experiences
- User access: “does an ‘admin’ need to be an admin?”
- Training
- Tutorial videos
Project planning for Editors
During the project scoping phase, it’s essential to speak with the client about who will be responsible for updating the website content and how many people will be involved. This conversation should happen early on, as it can significantly influence the development approach, project timeline, and overall cost.
Does a specific department within the company only need access to update certain sections of the site? Which areas do they need to manage, and how frequently? Clarifying these details upfront ensures the site structure and user permissions are tailored to their needs, avoiding complications later on.
For example, someone in HR might be responsible for adding job vacancies to the careers page but wouldn’t need access to other areas of the website. In this case, it makes sense to set up their WordPress Dashboard so they only see access to a Custom Post Type called “Vacancies”. This setup lets them quickly and easily add, edit, or delete vacancies without distraction.
This approach not only improves the user experience but also adds an extra layer of security. It reduces the risk of accidental changes elsewhere on the site and helps users feel more confident using the system. The key takeaway: give Admins access only to what they need, and increase permissions later if necessary.
WordPress User Roles
How to limit access for WordPress users, how to add new user groups, and how to add WordPress access levels was discussed next. Advanced Access Manager plugin was mentioned, and I have used this myself over the years. I often prefer the programmatic approach to WordPress User Roles and Capabilities over a plugin. In this phase of the meetup we touched on if an Admin needs full access. We agreed that it’s a better approach when managing the website to give Admins minimal access and remove anything that would impact the theme development or database structure. I think these are good rules if managing the website under a WordPress Support contract. If you are handing off the website then I do like the approach of not completely restricting the website owner and only hiding Admin items with a “show all” toggle.
Editing with Gutenberg
I was surprised to find I was the only one actively using Gutenberg for client website development. Most felt it was too big a shift for their clients and came with too many unnecessary features. Several people mentioned the Gutenberg Admin Design is hard to use, with hidden hover elements and confusing layout. I get that, and although I personally like Gutenberg, I disable many of the default blocks. Instead, I use a custom suite based on what my clients actually need. If you plan to disable blocks, always agree it with the client at the start of the project.
WordPress training for Editors
We discussed the importance of training and tutorial videos. Clear documentation reduces future support time. Training helps clients use the site confidently. It also gives you insight into how Admins work. With that knowledge, you can tailor the WordPress Dashboard to suit their needs.
Conclusion
Overall a really interesting meetup in Norwich, and the conclusion here is yes the WordPress Admin Area experience is hugely important and should always be a consideration for your project. If you want to hire a freelance WordPress developer who also takes pride in the Admin experience, please contact me today.
