How to measure and evaluate the quality of WordPress themes.

1. How do you Measure
a WordPress Theme?
Michelle Langston
WordCamp San Diego 2013
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2. Michelle Langston
Theme Wrangler, Automattic
I work on Themes for WordPress.com
Twitter: @michiecat
michelle@michellelangston.com
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3. Download my slides:
slideshare.net/michiecat
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4. What We’ll Cover
1. Why it’s important to measure WordPress themes.
2. A journey through criteria you can use to measure WordPress
themes.
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5. Why Measure Themes?
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6. So many themes!
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7. Everyone’s criteria is different
✓ Soft Colors ✓ Good Support
✓ Theme Options ✓ Optimal Typography
✓ Slider ✓ Translation-Ready
✓ Custom Header ✓ Premium
✓ Responsive ✓ Valid HTML & CSS
✓ Secure Code
✓ SEO-Optimized
✓ Minimal Layout
✓ Left Sidebar
✓ Lightweight
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8. 8

9. Design
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10. Design
Features
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11. Design
Features
Composition
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12. Design
Features
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Code
Quality
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13. Design
Features
Composition
Code
Durability
Quality
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14. Design
Features
Community Composition
Code
Durability
Quality
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15. Design
Price
Features
Premi
um
Community Composition
Code
Durability
Quality
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16. Design
Often one of the first
judgements we make
about a theme.
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17. http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/
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18. Design: Considerations
Mission & Message
Customization
Modern Design
Responsive
Usability
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19. http://www.nngroup.com/articles/auto-forwarding/
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20. Sidebars * Custom Menus *
CarouselsFeatures
* Theme Options *
Custom Header * Custom
Background * Post Formats *
Translation-Ready * Flexible
Headers * Editor Stylesheet *
Featured Images * Full-Width
Template * Sticky Posts * Ad Spots *
SEO * Custom Colors * Upload Your
Logo * Post Thumbnails * 20

21. Sidebars * Custom Menus *
Carousels * Theme Options *
Custom Header * Custom
Background * Post Formats *
Translation-Ready * Flexible
Headers * Editor Stylesheet *
Featured Images * Full-Width
Template * Sticky Posts * Ad Spots *
SEO * Custom Colors * Upload Your
Logo * Post Thumbnails * 21

22. http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/tag-filter/
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23. http://themesorter.com/
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24. Features: Considerations
Right balance for your site purposes
Their way or the WordPress way
Artifacts
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25. Shortcodes
http://www.elegantthemes.com/preview/TheProfessional/
shortcodes/
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26. 26

27. Composition
The “stuff” of your theme.
How it’s organized, and
how it fits into your space.
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28. 28

29. 29

30. 30

31. http://blog.kissmetrics.com/speed-is-a-killer/
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32. Code Quality
Does it taste as good
as it looks?
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33. Quality Code...
Error-free
Up-to-date
Secure
Follows best WordPress practices
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34. http://codex.wordpress.org/
Theme_Development#Theme_Development_Standards
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35. http://developer.wordpress.com/themes/
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36. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/theme-
check/
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37. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/log-
deprecated-notices/
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38. 38

39. http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/commercial/
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40. http://themegrade.com
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41. Durability
Can it handle your
content?
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42. Get Out Your Hammer!
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43. http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Unit_Test
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44. http://wptest.io/
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45. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/monster-
widget/
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46. TESTING PREMIUM THEMES
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47. http://advantage.puremellow.com/
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48. 48

49. 49

50. Community
Are we all in this together,
or are we on our own?
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51. Communities...
Support & documentation
Learning & sharing
Theme stays alive
User insights
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52. Price
Does premium = higher
quality?
Premi
um
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53. http://themesorter.com/sellers
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54. Premium Themes...
License
Activity level
Support & Documentation
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55. Cereal Box Prize!
http://themeshaper.com/jumpstart/
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56. Thank You!
Twitter: @michiecat
michelle@michellelangston.com
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