Comments on: Is Using WordPress Themes Frameworks Cheating at Web Design?

By: PlasticCardChick

PlasticCardChick — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:44:50 +0000

I don’t come from any solid html or css coding background so having access to something as easy to use as this is a breath of fresh air.

We recently outsourced for the building of a new website. I have been able to create something equal if not better to the site that was made by someone else.

WordPress is definitely my go to.

By: bloohair

bloohair — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:26:58 +0000

Stephane,
This is good to hear, if more people would use WordPress as a tool to speed up the web coding process, rather than rely on themes to do the design for them, then that is all good. It is depressing to see so many websites with the same “look” and this is what I would do once I get into WordPress. So thanks for clarifying that point.

Downloading WordPress and MAMP is on my list of things to do soon, and I hope it is as easy to use as many people say.
Thanks for your input.

By: Stéphane

Stéphane — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 21:32:44 +0000

@bloohair

Hi! Thanks for your comment!

Don’t confuse the process of using WordPress with a theme framework which is what I’m talking about here with using WordPress with a pre-made theme or template where the “design” is already done. My question in this post is about the first option.

Headway, the theme “framework” that I use is not made to be installed and used as is. Upon activation, it is extremely plain looking. It is meant as a base to “implement” your own design created any way you want. You can use Photoshop, I prefer Fireworks but I create the design myself in a graphics application first.

Using a theme framework like Headway, Thesis and others is not piggy-backing on someone else’s hard work. You still have to create the design first. When that is done, I slice the images I need from my mockup, and use Headway’s Visuel Editor configure the look of the site as far as it will permit me (which is much farther than most theme frameworks). Then I use Dreamweaver to finish it off with custom CSS and custom PHP fuctions using WordPress or Headway hooks to achieve different behaviors and the end result is as unique looking as If I had coded it from scratch like I used to. That is the “cheating” part I was mostly talking about. Using WordPress was a major mindshift for me as I’ve coded Web sites from scratch in HomeSite the Dreamweaver for over 14 years.

At the beginning of the post, I do mention other people who were exactly speaking of using pre-made templates. Although I would never do that for a client myself, I still think it’s perfectly fine in some cases where people won’t hire a professional designer (for whatever reason). I do think they are better off using a good looking pre-made theme than try to “design” a site themselves with no expertise at all. The site won’t look unique and the design may not even be exactly appropriate for the site or the type of business, but at least it won’t look like a Geocities site… . And for a personal site where the person has no budget to hire a designer, they are better off using a decent existing theme than trying to do it themselves.

But I do agree, for a professional site, the design needs to be tailored to the clients’ needs and WordPress and theme frameworks still enable me to do just that… only much faster than before

By: bloohair

bloohair — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:34:58 +0000

I have been working in graphic design for over 20 years and doing web design for 11. I am thinking about using WordPress to speed up the building process for web design, help with CMS and am investigating the whole genre. However, it is depressing to see how many people are describing themselves as “designers” with little or no training or qualification and use WordPress as a quick fix to “create” websites. I am sure that once I get into it, I will form a strategy of when and where to use WordPress, as it won’t be right for every job.
To me, WordPress is like Tesco’s or Walmart — it’s everywhere and this is not always what clients want, personally I find something more sophisticated will do a better job.
A good designer will work out what is best for their client and work accordingly. I have clients who have turned to me to either un-pick a WordPress site and re-design it, or have rejected themed website designs produced by others for something that will correctly answer their brief.
I teach web design, animation and photoshop skills at National Diploma level, I teach students how to use Dreamweaver and Flash properly, how to design layouts in photoshop and to work on concepts and come up with their own ideas. Using themes is just piggy-backing on someone else’s hard work.
If you just dive straight in, pick a random theme and produce an ad-hoc website — is that really, really design?

By: Unwired

Unwired — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 04:16:47 +0000

My problem as a freelance WordPress website builder is my time. If I design from scratch it would take weeks to build since I am still a newbie in psd design and css design. So I always settle with frameworks.

This is a great article for people who are confuse. If you have time try to practice more on scratch, This is better if clients are demanding with the looks of their website.

By: Catch Cheater

Catch Cheater — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:14:33 +0000

I am a web design student and understand that more and more people are requesting WordPress so they can easily manage their site. WordPress is great for people who do not know HTML and CSS.

By: Mica Galleb

Mica Galleb — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:15:33 +0000

I'm thankful for Wordpress since it gives a chance for ordinary people to make their own website. The templates are really cool and you can play with it to make your own web design. Like most people without knowledge in advance html, these user friendly sites and blogs are a refreshing change. People who are planning to launch their businesses online can make use of Word press to create their websites.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 21:06:54 +0000

An excellent article about an amazing platform that as Michael pointed out has presented us web designers with a pricing conundrum which I can see coming on the horizon personally. To remedy the effect that WordPress has on back-end development, what do you guys think about just charging more for design? Designers still have an intangible skill that not everyone can learn and even fewer can excel at. I think with the advent of premium WordPress platforms the demand to stand out should drive design price up and hopefully stabilize prices. What are your thoughts on this?

By: michael

michael — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:53:24 +0000

i am a great fan of WordPress but my biggest bug bear is that it has cheapned the value of web design and forced me to lower my prices. In the past our skill set was defined by our ability to craft solid websites with strong flexible architecture and a reliable base. However with WordPress some clients can even install it themselves, giving them the coire of their site straight out of the box, therefore I have to make my living developing the theme files themselves. That’s very hard when clients can see themes advertised online for £40-£90!

By: Stéphane

Stéphane — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:47:31 +0000

Glad to hear it Stacey and thank you very much for your comment!