I’m looking at ClassicPress from the view of a new user. I wanted to offer some UI/UX suggestions to help improve the Plugin/Theme Directory. Also make it more user friendly.
First off its well designed and nice and clean, however…
(1) Keep the Main Menu consistent to match the main site. At first I didn’t know I was in a separate directory, and there was no way to return back to the main site. So I was confused. Make it easy for people to navigate. Have a “Home” link in the menu directory. Or have the directory as a secondary menu section.
(2) In the Plugin directory, add a secondary menu in the page with plugin types. It would be beneficial to know vs. having to search through everything.
For example: Security, Blog, Social Media, Utilities, etc. Yeah I know there is a search bar, but I may not know what I am looking for.
My portfolio page as an example (portfolio types):
(3) In the theme directory at least please have an image of the theme in the box. How would I know what a theme looks like? A lot of people are visual and want to see what they are going to get:
WordPress does this one well - you just need an image in the boxes:
Hope that helps. I’m just thinking of ways that a new user would come to the directory and go “WOW - this looks great! I want to use ClassicPress.”
The hard work is already done, and it is already super clean and easy to see.
But for the theme directory, I still think it would be very helpful to see a screenshot of the theme. Plus it would make it more enticing to users unfamiliar with CP, and agencies like mine too.
Is there a “featured image” already in that post type? I realize of course all these things take time.
Hi, I’m reopening this topic - hoping it will get a bump. I know you guys have enough on your plate with 2.2.1 release etc.
I’m really looking at ClassicPress as something that can easily be promoted to clients. Technically, everything runs well - no issue there. It’s the visual and end user experience here that needs work (and its just as important as code). If you want end users (not just devs) to use CP you have to make it easy for them.
Specifically, if a client wants to install a CP theme, how are they going to know what it looks like? Well they aren’t. I am 100% certain if you have thumbnails of the themes in the directory, more people will install and try them out.
I kinda gave up last night with trying to install a CP theme because of this and had to go back to a WP theme.
I know time is limited, but I’d really like CP to consider the importance of thumbnails in the theme directory, and even the plugin directory (works off the same CPT - right?).
Just to let you know that screenshots have been added to the Directory now. Devs can use a form to add one to their theme or plugin. And we have it converting from .png format to .webp on the fly so as to save space.
