Title: Coming soon: Weekly updates Author: Helen Hou-Sandi Published: November 16, 2012 --- [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/helen/) [Helen Hou-Sandi](https://profiles.wordpress.org/helen/) 12:21 am _on_ November 16, 2012   # Coming soon: Weekly updates Part of the duties of a team repTeam Rep A Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. for each area of contributors is to be responsible for a weekly update on the group. At this moment, there is not an established UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. team rep, but as a coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. development team representative, I’m happy to step in until new elections are done sometime in the near-ish future. Part of our UI group discussion at the Community Summit was about how we can make these weekly updates both informational and effective, especially when it comes to attracting and retaining contributors. Here’s what we’re thinking: * A breakdown of what we did this week, such as discussions held (with links to IRC as applicable), patches uploaded/worked on, and what’s changed in core in a more prose-y manner. * Links to ideas from the community at large, which would likely be blog posts on other sites, including your own. Discussion would be encouraged over on those posts rather than here – the creator should be able to really take ownership and pride in their idea and be centrally involved in the discussion. The idea is to both expose some of the great ideas that are happening and open up a platform for idea generation that isn’t “from the top” or carrying the official weight that gets associated with a post on the Make P2s, which are largely status-driven rather than hypothetical. * Weekly IRC chat summary with anything not covered above. * What needs to get done this week, including any assignments that have been made and ones that need volunteers. We’re thinking this will be a great step toward exposing more ways to get involved in case you’re still figuring things out. Thoughts? 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[karmatosed](https://profiles.wordpress.org/karmatosed/) 10:11 am _on_ November 16, 2012 3. I really like this idea be great to keep up with things. The last point will help greatly in finding ways in for me and others also so that’s really cool. Not everyone can every time get to the IRC meeting so it’s a great way to keep up to date and involved. 4. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a0ca5f2915e11771bef689e8095ce1502f554e2e14c63f2742ba327b6bf0ee0f? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 5. [McGarityDotMe](https://profiles.wordpress.org/mcgaritydotme/) 11:59 am _on_ November 16, 2012 6. All of this helps me out, as I’m trying to get my feet wet and understand more about sub-groups like this I’m interested in participating with. The IRC chats have been where I’ve started, but that’s often like jumping into the deep end of a pool after a swim lesson. 🙂 I especially like the last bullet point, as it’s not immediately clear to this n00b what’s in flight, what’s about to start, etc. 7. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df4e84176d328d48e01ba995e523b1f219143d215f68c9f323e2b2bb78062720? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 8. [lessbloat](https://profiles.wordpress.org/lessbloat/) 12:19 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 9. Yep. +1 to all of it. 🙂 10. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9c184f96bd47233afcf0623851f129c13009d7886753f40867c9d4b5856ec080? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 11. [Jane Wells](https://profiles.wordpress.org/jenmylo/) 1:56 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 12. I was going to post this proposal to the team reps blog, and will, but since you posted this, I’ll pre-empt myself and post my thoughts here as well. 13. I’ve been thinking more about this since our team reps discussion at the summit, and I’m still thinking we should re-jigger the UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. group. When we talk about coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. UI, it really seems like that discussion should be happening as a part of the core project, rather than sidelined as a separate group. When I started the UI group, it was because we weren’t a project that really had design contributors yet, and I wanted to change that, but it would have been disruptive to try to get that started on wpdevel (as it was called then). Now that it’s make/ core, and now that there are a number of designers (members of this group) participating actively in core, I think it’s time for a change to recognize that core UI is not a separate project, it is an integral part of core. 14. At the same time, there are design needs across the WordPress project, like for events, documentation, site improvements, etc. Just as developing a system of team reps was intended to put other contributions on a level with core, I believe it’s time to rethink the UI group altogether. 15. What I’d like to see is the stuff going on as “the UI group” currently to be treated as a regular core component (with component owner, if that’s still the plan post- summit) rather than an entirely separate group. I’m thinking the same thing about AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology( for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility). If something isn’t a separate, sovereign group that gets to make decisions (in this case, UI decisions still are ultimately made by the core team/release leads, not by a standalone UI group), then it should be an active part of the main group. In other words, I think it’s time for UI contributors to level up to the main core team. Updates about what is happening with core UI would be part of the regular core team updates. 16. Then, we’d create a Design Corps of all the designers (graphic, interaction, web, print, you name it) that would be contributing to the project **as a whole**, rather than just core, and to all design needs, not just UI. Each of the contributor groups would have its own embedded contributing designers (like the core ui contributors), while the design corp *group* would be a place to share resources, discuss design problems across teams, and for team reps to post requests for design assistance when needed. This would solve several problems (other groups don’t have design resources, and they see the UI group as limited to CSSCSS CSS is an acronym for cascading style sheets. This is what controls the design or look and feel of a site. or usability). 17. I will admit that this is basically a ripoff of how Automattic handles design ( just as our new contributor group blogs and team reps are a ripoff of Automattic’s team updates system). The Automattic design group system has been in play for three and a half years now, and I think it works really well. It allows designers to be integral members of project teams, while also being part of a broader design group. 18. Anyway, I’ll be proposing this to the team reps for consideration, but would like you guys to be thinking about it, too. [@lessbloat](https://profiles.wordpress.org/lessbloat/) and [@chexee](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chexee/), as UI Group members who have experienced the Automattic model first-hand may be the best able to comment on whether it is a good model. 19. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e05110ddfc422ecfc3c68f61f2b08a404343ef8514fed12b460fc9c9aaa47d27? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Helen Hou-Sandi](https://profiles.wordpress.org/helen/) 2:40 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 * +100000000000 to the overall direction of this group within the project as a whole. [Siobhan’s post about handbooks earlier](https://make.wordpress.org/support/2012/11/handbooks-teams-and-templates/) is in a similar vein – UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. isn’t a separate handbook, but a component of each contributing area’s handbook. I also think it would be really helpful to promote areas beyond the coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. web application for folks to actively contribute to – it’s definitely different than ideas for, say, a website. I see pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory [https://wordpress.org/plugins/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/) or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. developers especially liking having a way to join forces with UI/UXUX UX is an acronym for User Experience- the way the user uses the UI. Think ‘what they are doing’ and less about how they do it.-minded types 🙂 * P.S. Hey everybody, do get involved in the handbooks if you’re able and willing! - ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/78e12b0e0fd945bd7d661af2b0ca95c1509d09a7a1f528ded21bbd604192c662? s=32&d=mm&r=g) - [Siobhan](https://profiles.wordpress.org/siobhan/) 6:47 pm _on_ November 17, 2012 - Yes! Handbooks are cool and awesome and people should get involved! - Also, I think a design corps group is an excellent idea. I have been thinking that we’ll need design people to help out with making the handbooks look beautiful and I had no idea where to look. This would solve the problem for me 😀 * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df4e84176d328d48e01ba995e523b1f219143d215f68c9f323e2b2bb78062720? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [lessbloat](https://profiles.wordpress.org/lessbloat/) 5:17 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 * Love it. I think that’s a great idea. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5437f5b6124c08e8d9ab5f8a4b6a97cf3f6966aee694ef98417db8bdcc13b937? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Mel Choyce](https://profiles.wordpress.org/melchoyce/) 8:06 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 * This sounds like a great way to create more opportunities for designers to get involved. Awesome idea! * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9715bc4784e933e7b568a2290df2d7f346e065ba01afd5c06621b2c0971c92f? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [studionashvegas](https://profiles.wordpress.org/studionashvegas/) 11:13 pm _on_ November 17, 2012 * Multidisciplinary groups like what you’re suggesting are very common in the agency setting, and (from what I’ve experienced) seem to work very well, as all of the parts know what’s going on (which leads to a more cohesive experience). * +1 * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0c00bc6bb79905cd73ec1cb0f22bf813f7f34f46ee670d018b30b5569b2924dd? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [karmatosed](https://profiles.wordpress.org/karmatosed/) 11:53 pm _on_ November 17, 2012 * Sounds like a great idea and gives lots of scope for getting involved which is really cool. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/66100363deaf502bcb6a7200150bf4f3405f16f76c250b814c7d31714c1ae125? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Amy Hendrix (sabreuse)](https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabreuse/) 2:26 pm _on_ November 18, 2012 * Yay! Destroy the silos! * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/863a0d5a15dd8d3cb4445289b7cdad2c3ac2ad38569a969b37db996e4d16c8d2? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Chelsea Otakan](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chexee/) 10:12 pm _on_ November 18, 2012 * The Design Corps within Automattic work pretty well, IMO. We are a tight group and do our best to communicate well with each other. * I really like the concept of spreading out the UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. group to include design across the WP community. A lot of designers want to pitch in, but their skills might not be the best fit for coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., but there’s currently no formal way to pitch in anywhere else. * In short: Jane said all the things already 🙂 Sounds great to me! Weekly check in post for each group would be helpful. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5058d52425c1e7f41d9e5303d1d8adfaf3a25aa78c62c6e4ebe0ecce5329090b? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Sheri Bigelow](https://profiles.wordpress.org/designsimply/) 4:39 pm _on_ November 27, 2012 * +1 I like the proposal. Seems to me developers would be more likely to reach out to a multifaceted design group vs. the current setup which is pretty intensely focused on CoreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing.. 20. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/33865ba2ae13f06f6f5f54d54434500a1b28cc4ebe6379541514f0c6e41689d1? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 21. [acsearles](https://profiles.wordpress.org/acsearles/) 4:35 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 22. I’ve sat on the sidelines for a long time, wanting to get more involved but not knowing where to get my feet wet. I’ve been following along, reading what I can and trying to stay up-to-date on the happenings of this group. So, I think this could help more people have an easier entry point into contributing. So I can continue to keep watching and when I see some low hanging fruit I’ll be able to pick a few things off. Eventually, as I get more of a grasp about what’s going on, I’ll be able to contribute in a more substantial way. 23. Jane, I also really like the idea of designers becoming apart of other groups that are working on other projects. I know that in my line of work I do best when working on a team of people with different skill sets, then coming back to the group of designers to share ideas and critique. 24. Sounds like so many good things came out of the summit. I’ll be excited to get started. And hopefully we can see everyone in Birmingham at our next WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. [Learn more](https://central.wordcamp.org/about/).. Which reminds me, [@saracannon](https://profiles.wordpress.org/saracannon/), we need to get that started really really soon. 25. a 26. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/96555b596b7b85dc63b4e6ae6f84e7ec9efe1dc826c66c20328fccae50d99639? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 27. [RDall](https://profiles.wordpress.org/rdall/) 5:44 pm _on_ November 16, 2012 28. I really like where this is going… I also agree with what Jane said as well… The UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. group should be more then just the coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. dev… As I have struggled to find a place that I can contribute too that both use my strengths and fits WordPress needs as well… Comments are closed. # Post navigation [← A summary of the Community Summit discussion on…](https://make.wordpress.org/design/2012/11/15/a-summary-of-the-community-summit-discussion-on/) [I put another user through the media scenarios… →](https://make.wordpress.org/design/2012/11/16/i-put-another-user-through-the-media-scenarios/)