WordPress Contributors, Think Like a Designer

Open source is beautiful. And open source is often messy.

WordPress, with its global community of contributors, is no exception. We’re a passionate bunch, each bringing our ideas, skills, and perspectives to the table. It’s what makes WordPress different—a competitive advantage. But this freedom comes with a challenge: together, how do we build a cohesive, intuitive, and human-centric WordPress experience?

More than ever, WordPress should be design led.

That doesn’t mean a few designers make all the decisions. Actually, it’s the opposite; every contributor—developer, writer, marketer, or designer—thinks more like a designer.

To think like a designer means looking beyond the immediate task and considering the bigger picture. It requires understanding how every change impacts the user experience and approaching decisions with empathy, ensuring every interaction feels purposeful and seamless.

This approach challenges us to avoid arbitrary decisions and lean on holistic solutions that prioritize user experience. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how beautiful, extensible, or accessible WordPress is. If WordPress is not usable, it can’t democratize publishing.

I’m not saying WordPress isn’t usable today (although there’s room for improvement), but that open source isn’t an excuse for sloppiness; it’s a call for excellence—especially with a project that matters, like WordPress. 

As contributors, we have the opportunity to create a more thoughtful, human-centric experience that empowers people to publish, if we all think more like a designer.