October 23, 2023 — We all know that AI tools are here to stay. How can we use AI as a tool to fulfill our content strategy and planning goals? In this workshop, we will learn how to use AI as part of a content creation process that includes:

* Identifying a content strategy and target audience
* Planning quarterly content using AI
* Producing content using AI

By the end of this workshop, participants will be empowered to successfully use AI and

* Jumpstart their content creation process
* Maintain an authentic voice on social media platforms, email, and long-form content
* Effectively repurpose content

October 23, 2023 — The maturing and widespread adoption of the Block Editor has coincided with the growth of headless WordPress.

The Block Editor provides an unrivalled WYSIWYG experience – where content teams can provide richer, more creative content for their end-users. Headless provides unrivalled performance and provides a great Developer experience (DXP).

But until now, they have rarely come together. Headless often means a huge compromise for content creation teams – requiring a ‘leap of faith’ – where the display settings are abstracted into a few meta fields in the backend. Creativity and flexibility are constrained and they’ve been left behind by the WYSIWYG revolution.

No longer. We’re going to look at a major enterprise project (mecum.com) where we build the ‘Block Editor Bridge’ – where the Block Editor feeds directly into UI Components in the frontend app. We’ll look at new, exciting initiatives from VIP and WPEngine and how you can implement the same approach in your next project.

The Headless Block Editor is the new gold standard – the best backend and frontend experience – and it’s here.

October 23, 2023 — Forget the recently penned think-pieces – Multisite is here to stay, and The Motley Fool provides free and premium investment guidance to its members via our Global WordPress-powered CMS. Learn how we created a robust access-control solution to segregate free and premium content using networked sites and a custom-built entitlement system, and how we share, categorize and aggregate content across each site with our handy Global custom taxonomy!

Presentation Slides »

October 23, 2023 — At Georgetown University, we have two codebases. Each is an installable, ready-to-go version of WordPress that we use to produce live sites. One contains about 18,440 files including all of WordPress core, various third-party plugins, and a bunch of bespoke code produced by a third-party agency. The other: only 36. None of them are WordPress files—not themes, not plugins, and not core. One file, and only one file, defines how all of that is to be installed: composer.json.

Composer is a tool that maintains a list of PHP dependencies within a project so you don’t have to. It can, with a single command, build a standard WordPress installation, install bespoke and third-party plugins and themes, and maintain the appropriate version of all of them. If you, like us, have hundreds of sites to manage, Composer is a dream come true for both new sites and maintaining old ones in a way that guarantees they remain in sync with each other.

This talk is for anyone who wants to streamline their build and installation process. Come if you’re tired of installing themes and plugins from the Dashboard. Give it a listen if you don’t want to have to install Core from the zip file anymore. Or, stop by if you want to learn how you can rollback changes without having to use arcane git commands and make merge conflicts a thing of the past. You — yes you! — can set up all of this and more with Composer.

Presentation Slides »

October 23, 2023 — WDG partnered with The Ford Foundation to migrate their existing accessible video player to WordPress. The now open source plugin, displays videos alongside downloadable transcripts, and for videos where visuals require additional understanding, audio-described versions. Vajaah Parker, Directory of Strategy, will partner with Kurtis Shaner, Technical Director, to talk about the process, build and the plug-in.

October 23, 2023 — Get a tour of the site. See the code. Explore the backend. This breakout session will allow you to meet Team NASA, ask us questions, and look under the hood of our WordPress implementation for beta.nasa.gov

October 23, 2023 — Uncover Cracking the Code: Women’s Journeys in Tech Careers, a revealing panel that showcases the outstanding accomplishments of women thriving in the technical realm of the WordPress industry. Join us for insights from accomplished female professionals, including programmers and DevOps engineers, who have shattered industry norms.

Through personal stories, they’ll share triumphs, challenges, and pivotal moments. From conquering imposter syndrome to advocating for diversity, they’ll delve into experiences that shape their journey and provide guidance to aspiring women in tech.

Whether you’re an industry veteran or just starting, this panel uncovers strategies, resilience, and unique perspectives that fuel success in this stereotypically male field. Join us to decode the techniques behind their achievements and find inspiration to carve your own path in the dynamic tech world.

October 22, 2023 — Editorial styling has made significant progress since Snowfall, which inspired Gutenberg. With the evolutions, you can automatically generate styles considering content, mood, or data input. As a result, it has become more sophisticated and accessible, truly generative. We’ll review the past looking at generative art and upcoming AI technology, and then explore current tool availability. Discover the need for intent, understand what happens beyond simple prompt-based styling and explore the true power of generative styling.

October 22, 2023 — Are you facing aggressive, resistant, or defensive reactions from your design or development colleagues, your marketing department, your managers, or even your full-service advertising agency as soon as you start talking about accessibility? Do you want to learn how to counter and motivate them? Join my talk, and you’ll leave with some fantastic techniques and tactics to persuade them!
This talk is aimed at those who already work in the field of digital accessibility and hold a leadership or inspirational role. It’s essentially a peer-to-peer boost.
One of the worst things that can happen to people in creative professions is feeling confined in their creativity, tools, and toys. Whether it’s graphic design, content, or code, it leads to unproductive frustration.
But in reality, it’s not the rules and guidelines of digital accessibility that cause frustration. It’s the assumptions and misunderstandings associated with it.
In this talk, I will share how I guide and inspire designers, developers, and content creators to rock accessibility.
What’s in it for you?
First: You’ll take home some great analogies that will help you convince your colleagues.
Second: You’ll know how to calculate and present the hidden/unexpected and usually significant financial consequences for stakeholders who rely on money.
Third: You’ll receive a list of ways to discuss this topic with your colleagues worldwide.

October 22, 2023 — We are well aware of the immense possibilities that WordPress offers, yet convincing large businesses to embrace its capabilities can be a rewarding challenge. Together, we will delve into proven strategies to confidently present WordPress as the ideal solution for enterprise-level projects. Discover valuable insights on addressing objections, showcasing WordPress’s enterprise-ready features, and effectively demonstrating its ability to exceed the most demanding business needs. Let’s make WordPress the go-to choice for businesses of all scales.