The WordPress Development team has been hard at work designing the next version of the back-end Administration panel, which they hope will solve some of the inconveniences that people have been encountering using the current (Version 2.6) of the Dashboard.
Some of the main changes will involve the number of page loads and screens required to display the content that you need to access most often. Rather than using a parent/child page-type navigation currently in use, the new theme will use drop-down menus and arrows to alleviate this problem. Furthermore, these box-style menus will also be able to be minimized horizontally, opened and closed vertically, and also integrates an “Advanced” mode with more icons/buttons.
In terms of functionality and design, immense steps have been taken in ensuring that all users of WordPress will be able to adapt to the new version (i.e. no drastic changes in the naming of pages as in previous releases). However, this release looks to be one of the most design-conscious to date, looking at previews and the demos available.
Another main aspect of the new design and navigation changes is to help both novice and advanced users of the blogging software, especially with the use of the “drop-down” menus and advanced modes. If you want to just blog, you simply hit “New Post” from the main screen or at the top of the Dashboard.
Other Changes
Menus – By default, two sections of the navigation will be expanded: the Dashboard section and the Posts section, which contain the most critical information about your blog. Although the Development blog states that your browser will remember which menus you had opened, I myself would prefer to see an option to permanently “save” my configuration, in the case I’m not using that browser or have deleted all the stored cookies.
Contextual Access Tabs – Drop-tabs will provide access to contextual features displayed in a layer that appears between the header and the main post/menu area. Within Screen Options, you’ll be able to choose which modules are displayed on the current screen (this may solve the complaint I listed above).
Module Layout – All modules listed on the Dashboard may be moved up or down, or between columns using drag and drop. Modules may also be collapsed or expanded by clicking on the title bar, allowing another level of screen customization. All content will become configurable in Version 2.8, so at this point, only the newsfeed modules are configurable.
Right Now – This module contains the same data as it current does, but it is now arranged to provide a cleaner display – using a list style vs. the (current) sentence style. Color cues will also be used to highlight blog-related things that need or do not need your attention.
Stats – Requires an additional plugin at this time to function properly (?).
QuickPress – This is a new feature, which allows you to start or publish a simple post from the Dashboard when you don’t need the full set of features. These posts may only contain the title, text, media, and tags. Version 2.8 will add more options to this area. The Save Draft and Publish buttons have been moved apart, solving the problem of accidentally clicking on the wrong item when you want to save, rather than publish the post.
Recent Drafts – You will be able to access recent drafts more easily, with one click from the Dashboard vs. the current version, which is clicking on Drafts from the Right Now module, then waiting for multiple pages to load before you can access the first draft. The module will be configurable in a future version.
Feeds – News feeds will have little changes, but will have a new look.
Incoming Links – Again, just another design change to this element.
Hooks – Plugins will still be able to add new modules to the Dashboard, including top-level menu items if necessary. Icons will be able to be assigned by the plugin author, otherwise the default icon will be used.
Recent Comments - You will be able to moderate and administer comments directly from the Dashboard, including the new Comment Reply feature. More configuration will be added in Version 2.8.
Inbox – The Inbox will no longer exist – may reappear in a later version.
You can find the appropriate links to the articles here and here.
Earlier in October, Matt Mullenweg previewed WordPress 2.7 and its new features in this video (links to post, not video).
My Thoughts
I welcome many of these changes, but I also believe that because this release adds so much in terms of new back-end features, that they should put off the release for another month (although too late at this point) to early-mid December, so that all the new features are added properly – it appears that they rushed the last part of the steps, as many of the basic functionality will be left out until Version 2.8 (although more time will be given for testing before this release).
What are your thoughts based on previews and the surveys that have been given on the new Admin panel?
