I am WordPress

(And So Can You)






Amy Hendrix 
@sabreuse

So... who am I?

  • WordPress User
  • WordPress Developer
  • Theme Reviewer
  • Core Contributor
  • (I'm in your dashboard)

while we're introducing ourselves

Who are you?

blogger · tech writer · graphic designer · teacher · UI engineer · translator · sysadmin · programmer · accessibility pro · event organizer · support genius · software tester · marketer · entrepreneur · volunteer 

WordPress Community Member

WordPress is People

(yeah, I went there)

But I'm Not A Developer!

"Rock Star" isn't just for developers any more.
or go to: make.wordpress.org

Core

  • What They Do: Develop the software
  • Skillsets: Developers, Testers, Technical documentation writers
  • Where to find them: make.wordpress.org/core, Trac, IRC

UI

  • What They Do: Develop the software
  • Skillsets: Front-End Developers, Graphic Designers, UI & UX designers, Usability testers
  • Where to find them: make.wordpress.org/ui, IRC

Accessibility

  • What They Do: Improve Accessibility in both Core and related products.
  • Skillsets: Accessibility pros, users of adaptive technologies.
  • Where to find them: make.wordpress.org/accessibility, mailing list

Themes

  • What They Do: Review themes for the Theme Directory, Set standards & best practices
  • Skillsets: Theme Developers, Theme Designers, Testers
  • Where to find them: make.wordpress.org/themes, mailing list

Support

  • What They Do: Run the support forums. Write the Codex, User Guide, and Contributor Handbooks.
  • Skillsets: Anyone who knows WP!
  • Where to find them: make.wordpress.org/support, mailing list, IRC weekly meetings

Polyglots

  • What They Do: Translate WordPress (and Plugins and Themes
  • Skillsets: Fluent in other languages. Bonus points for less common languages!
  • Where to find them: make.wordpress.org/polyglots

But I'm not that good...


Small patches are better than big ones

Many core devs started with something as small as fixing a typo. Small stuff counts.

Even an easy question is something the other person didn't know.

You can ask for help!

We Will Help You!


Handbooks: Support, Core, and more

Standards: Code, Themes

Feedback

How to Level Up


  1. Use WordPress. A lot.
  2. Learn. Ask good questions, learn to research problems.
  3. Share your knowledge. Blog. Go to meetups.
  4. Make stuff. (And release it)


Example: Support


Ask a question > Answer a question > Research a better answer > Edit the Codex or the Handbooks

Example: Plugins


Find a cool snippet for your site > Learn to make a plugin instead > Figure out a better way to code it > Release!

Example: Themes


Be an awesome designer > Build for more than just your client > Internationalize, test, build for accessibility > Pass Theme Review > Release!

Benefits


Build your WP skills. 

Level up your Design & Dev skills.

Benefits


Benefits for business: contacts, rep in the community, skills, efficiency.

Ego! Your work is now being used by millions of people.

Benefits


Share what you do.

Allow the next person to build even greater things.

Help other people like yourself

MAKE SOMETHING.

LEARN SOMETHING.

HELP SOMEONE.


Find me!



Amy Hendrix

@sabreuse

slides: http://sabreuse.com/iamwp