How do I upload an image in WordPress?
Frequently, clients who are staring at the WordPress content editing screen ask me, “How do I upload an image?” As an experienced WordPress user/designer/developer I used to get blown away by how silly such a question sounded. The button’s right there! But after running in to this problem again and again, I’ve decided the user is not at fault in this case.
The interface is deceptive. Let me explain…
An inconsistent UI design language
The upload/insert text+icon combo is too subtle and actually deceptive UI when you look at the WordPress dashboard overall.
The same design language for the page header (icon+text on transparent background) is used for the clickable link (text+icon on transparent background). By that logic the Upload/Insert link looks like a small title or descriptive text. It doesn’t look clickable, but it should look clickable, because it is clickable.
Make clickable things look clickable
So as the user scans for some visual que to capture their attention and say, “Click me to upload your stuff!”, they skim right over the small text that lies outside of the area containing lots of other more obvious buttons.
Even something as simple as what I’ve mocked-up here would be an improvement:
Now there is a clear distinction between the rest of the UI and the Upload/Insert button. It doesn’t look like part of the dashboard text anymore. It looks clickable. And it is.
(UPDATE: Since publishing this post I’ve written a plugin that makes the Upload/Insert button look clickable.)
Feedback?
Anybody on the WordPress UI team out there that could respond to this suggestion?
*Special thanks to WordPress and Beyoncé for inspiring this post.
UPDATE:
WordPress 3.5 took my advice!
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