ManageWP secured web designer and developer, Rachel Carden. Carden works in higher education, as a web developer for the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Alabama. She is also a self-proclaimed multisite lover and Netflix watcher.
People sent in questions surrounding multisite, design, and what it’s like to work in higher education.
Here are five takeaways.
Multisite Can Be The Best And The Worst.
Carden stated that she loves mulitisite, so naturally many people had questions. Multisite is great because you only have one code for everything you do however that means if one plugin starts having problems, it will cause trouble everywhere. If you manage more than one site and aren’t great at remembering passwords, multisite is a great way to keep everything in one place and easily switch back and forth between projects.
Security can also be an issue when it comes to multisite. Though Carden has never been hacked or violated, you could be more vulnerable with everything connected to one login.
A Design Background Offers A Different Way Of Thinking.
Carden went to school for design and it has given her a leg up in web development. It’s given her the tools to create beautiful projects for her clients. However, having a background in web development also helps her work in design.
“I know how all of the gears move so I have a complete picture in mind when I’m deciding what design or layout is best for my content,” Carden said.
The Key To Managing Multiple Sites Is Organization.
Running 30 sites can seem overwhelming but Carden supplied a few tips for keeping everything in order. The majority of Carden’s sites have the same template and play off three themes, all child themes of the parent one.
Then Carden has a plugin that holds the unique code on each. To keep it in order, Carden stores the code in a Bitbucket git repo and then when the site launches she makes the code available on her Bitbucket account. It may seem like a complicated process, but when one person is managing so many sites it is important to have a very specific plan in place so nothing gets confused.
WPCampus Is Looking For Universities To Host.
Carden organizes WPCampus, which works to bring WordPress to higher education. The organization is looking for the first university to host an event and learn about using WordPress. If you’re interested in how to bring WordPress to universities, Carden and her team will be uploading resources to the WPCampus website.
Carden Loves ‘Bama.
Carden attended the University of Alabama and currently works there. Not only is it part of her Twitter handle, she ended her AMA description with an enthusiastic “Roll Tide!”
If you enjoyed this AMA, don’t forget to tune in next week for a talk with CEO of Envato, Collis Ta’eed. ManageWP intends to make this a weekly event with the biggest names in WordPress!
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