I’ve tested the Widget Customizer 0.14 plugin with…

I’ve tested the Widget Customizer 0.14 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/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party with the Twenty Fourteen theme on WordPress r27060.

Summary

  • No trouble adding, rearranging, or removing widgets
  • Widgets can be tough to spot if they are added “below the fold”
  • Widgets that require extra prep are easily dismissed

Successes

No trouble rearranging widgets (Length: 0:07)

No trouble removing widgets (Length: 0:37)

No trouble getting out of the customizerCustomizer Tool built into WordPress core that hooks into most modern themes. You can use it to preview and modify many of your site’s appearance settings. (Length: 0:23)

Points of Confusion

Widgets can be hard to see in the live preview (Length: 0:54)

About the custom menu widgetWidget A WordPress Widget is a small block that performs a specific function. You can add these widgets in sidebars also known as widget-ready areas on your web page. WordPress widgets were originally created to provide a simple and easy-to-use way of giving design and structure control of the WordPress theme to the user., she says, “I guess that one doesn’t work.”

If you’d like to see the full video, you can download it here: 5533a9a2.mp4 (Length: 4:31)

Survey Responses

  1. Have you added widgets to a WordPress website before? If yes, how did it compare to this time?
    Yes, I’m a wordpress designer. This was pretty simple to use, would be easy for clients to navigate.
  2. How would you improve the process of adding widgets?
    I prefer the existing method of drag and drop.
  3. Why are widgets important?
    It’s an easy way for clients to get their information into the site without having to require a specialist to do so.

(For Reference) Tasks Used in the Test

  1. Sign in.
  2. Go to Appearance > Customize and add some text in a new widget at the top of the left sidebarSidebar A sidebar in WordPress is referred to a widget-ready area used by WordPress themes to display information that is not a part of the main content. It is not always a vertical column on the side. It can be a horizontal rectangle below or above the content area, footer, header, or any where in the theme..
  3. Look through the widgets and pick two that you like. Add both of them to the right sidebar and say why you picked them.
  4. Rearrange the widgets so the bio appears at the bottom of the right sidebar.
  5. Remove all of the widgets from the left sidebar except the text you added before and one other widget you think is the most important to keep.
  6. Verify that the updates you’ve made are visible on the site separate from the live preview in the dashboard.
  7. User’s Computer Info

  • Operating System: Windows 7 6.1
  • Browser: Windows Chrome 32.0.1700
  • Display: 1600

Suggestion

  • If a widget is added “below the fold,” move the live preview so the widget is visible.

Next up: test version 0.15 with a few more widgets added.

#user-testing, #widgets