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A Drupal Couple: Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal

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Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal Image Image Article body

The enthusiastic response to our Birds of a Feather (BOF) session on "The Future of Drupal Economy" at DrupalCon Atlanta was nothing short of inspiring. First, I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who took the time to attend and contribute to this critical conversation. When we had to move to a larger room to accommodate over 100 participants, it became clear that these discussions about Drupal's economic future resonate deeply with our community.

Beyond Identifying Issues: Time for Solutions

Our community knows well the challenges we face. We all recognize the issues, and now is the time to move beyond merely identifying problems to actively crafting solutions.

 

The strategic shifts highlighted in the Starshot (now Drupal CMS) initiative represent a pivotal moment for our ecosystem. Now, we have the opportunity to build upon this momentum and address fundamental questions about how we support and grow our economy.

Supporting the Drupal Association's Revenue Goals

I want to acknowledge the Drupal Association's critical need for sustainable revenue streams. The DA faces the challenging task of supporting our infrastructure, organizing events, and guiding initiatives like Drupal CMS - all while balancing the community's needs with financial realities.

 

We find ourselves in an interesting position: we need large agencies' substantial support now to help the DA reach its goals of expanding the Certified Partner program and increasing revenue. However, the long-term vision should be creating self-sustaining systems where this intense dependency becomes less necessary.

 

It's encouraging to see the DA taking a more active leadership role in this space. The community's evolving perspective has allowed the DA to expand beyond just maintaining Drupal.org and organizing DrupalCon. This shift represents an important evolution that deserves our support.

Community-Driven Solutions

I'd like to propose several concrete solutions that could transform Drupal's ecosystem while supporting the DA's revenue goals:

1. Regionalized Official DrupalCons

As I mentioned during the Atlanta board meeting, Latin America is ready to support regional DrupalCon events. These events should test more business-oriented approaches alongside their developer focus, without abandoning the heart of the event as a time to work together on the project.

 

Regional events can serve as powerful business development platforms when structured to connect service providers with potential clients in their economic context.

 

These events would acknowledge the different economic realities across regions. What constitutes a "small," "medium," or "enterprise" project varies dramatically between markets. Adapting the DrupalCon model to regional needs creates opportunities for businesses of all sizes in their appropriate economic contexts.

2. Drupal.org as the Source of Truth

Drupal's contribution credit system is already unique in the open source world for how it tracks and attributes various forms of contribution. We should build upon this foundation to position Drupal.org as the definitive source of truth for everything Drupal-related. From identifying qualified developers to finding appropriate partner agencies, Drupal.org should be the central hub.

 

When businesses need Drupal expertise, Drupal.org should be their first destination. Not third-party job boards. Not general search engines. This transition creates natural economic incentives for contribution while connecting clients with service providers who have demonstrated their commitment to the project.

 

This would also significantly enhance the value of the Certified Drupal Partner program. The DA would now have something valuable to offer partners: qualified leads from businesses looking for Drupal expertise.

3. Community-Driven Certification Framework

Here's where I see tremendous potential: I believe a community-led certification system could be transformative for positioning Drupal.org as the central hub for Drupal expertise. But importantly, this must start as a community initiative rather than immediately becoming a DA responsibility.

 

This idea comes from my personal experience in education. Before joining the Drupal world, I worked as a certified bilingual elementary teacher in Texas for three years, teaching 5th grade Science. I saw firsthand how the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) framework created clarity around educational standards. For example, a kindergarten math standard might simply state: "The student can count forward from 1 to 20 with and without objects." This clear standard defines exactly what skill the student should demonstrate.

 

Similarly, we could establish a framework of Drupal knowledge and skills. A site builder certification might include standards like "The developer demonstrates ability to configure content types and fields to model complex data relationships." A security standard might state "The developer applies security best practices when configuring user roles and permissions."

 

I envision three certification levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) across four areas. We would have Backend Developer standards. Frontend Developer standards. Site Builder standards. And Developer standards focusing on development processes like local development, git workflows, agile, best practices, and contribution knowledge.

 

From these standards, we could develop community-curated question banks for each knowledge area. We could create assessment methodologies that validate both theoretical understanding and practical application. And we could build clear pathways for skills progression from entry-level to expert.

 

We've seen many training initiatives struggle in the past. I tried to help Drupaleros before it was dissolved. I've spoken with the maintainer of the previous Open Curriculum initiative that ultimately stagnated. Learning from these experiences, I believe focusing on standards rather than specific training content gives us a stronger foundation. We can reinvigorate the Open Curriculum as a standards framework rather than trying to create and maintain all the training content ourselves.

 

Similar to how the contribution credit system was developed through community committees, we could establish a committee to maintain the question bank. This committee would ensure the certification's value isn't diminished through widespread distribution of questions.

A Sustainable Path Forward

This approach lets the DA adopt a proven certification system later without carrying the development costs now. The community does the groundwork, the DA gets a working solution.

 

Once proven effective, this certification system could provide a sustainable revenue source for the DA while delivering genuine value to both the community and clients. It creates a self-reinforcing cycle. Developers gain credible validation of their skills. Companies find qualified talent more efficiently. Clients identify appropriate service providers with greater confidence. The DA receives ongoing certification revenue. The entire ecosystem benefits from higher quality standards.

Join the Discussion

I want to emphasize that these are just ideas that I'm putting forward for community discussion. I don't believe I have all the answers, and the best solutions will come from our collective wisdom and experience.

 

What's critically important here is that this cannot become a DA responsibility at this stage. The Drupal Association needs to maintain its focus on current revenue strategies and sustainability goals. They have a clear roadmap for growing the Certified Partner program and increasing financial stability. Adding a new, unproven initiative now would risk distracting from these essential priorities.

 

Instead, this needs to be a true community initiative that develops, tests, and refines a certification framework independently. Only after proving its value and sustainability should we consider how it might integrate with the DA's offerings.

 

I'm committed to helping build this framework, but it requires a collaborative community effort if you want to contribute to this initiative. Whether through defining knowledge domains, developing assessment methodologies, or testing the framework. Please reach out.

 

Together, we can create a system that strengthens Drupal's position as a leading CMS while creating sustainable economic opportunities across our entire ecosystem pyramid.

 

What are your thoughts on this approach? Do you see additional ways we could position Drupal.org as the central hub for Drupal expertise? I'd love to continue this conversation.

 

About Creating Real Business Value: Transforming Drupal.org into a Genuine Business Hub Abstract After DrupalCon Atlanta's packed BOF on Drupal's economic future, it's time for community-led solutions. This post proposes three initiatives: regionalized business-focused DrupalCons, positioning Drupal.org as the expertise hub, and creating a community-driven certification system based on educational standards frameworks. The Drupal Association must focus on current revenue priorities while the community builds this foundation – putting community first, business second, to truly build everything with Drupal. Tags drupal Drupal Future Drupal Planet drupal community Rating Select ratingGive Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal 1/5Give Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal 2/5Give Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal 3/5Give Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal 4/5Give Community First, Business Second, Build Everything with Drupal 5/5Cancel rating No votes yet Leave this field blank Add new comment

Balint Pekker: The Rise of Drupal: A New Era

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Drupal is changing, and it feels like a return to what made it exciting in the first place. With tools like the Drupal CMS Launcher, Experience Builder, Site Templates and a potential Marketplace, there’s a clear focus on simplifying the process for newcomers, without the unnecessary barriers. These features have the potential to reshape how sites are built, especially for those just getting started, while still preserving the power and flexibility that make Drupal stand out.

LakeDrops Drupal Consulting, Development and Hosting: Real Drupal Site Dependency Testing – A Strategic Approach

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Real Drupal Site Dependency Testing – A Strategic Approach Jürgen Haas Tue, 22.04.2025 - 16:00

Protecting your Drupal sites from unexpected dependency issues requires a proactive approach. This article reveals our strategy for continuously monitoring a suite of reference Drupal sites – automatically updated every hour – to detect runtime problems stemming from dependency updates. We’ll demonstrate how to identify PHP errors, styling issues, and even frontend JavaScript errors that often go unnoticed, ensuring a smooth and reliable experience for your Drupal users.

LakeDrops Drupal Consulting, Development and Hosting: Detect Upstream Changes: Weekly Module Testing with GitLab CI

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Detect Upstream Changes: Weekly Module Testing with GitLab CI Jürgen Haas Tue, 22.04.2025 - 15:00

Keeping your Drupal modules aligned with the latest updates — including changes from Drupal core or other dependencies — is critical. But how do you know if those updates are actually safe? This article shows you how to set up regular, automated testing using GitLab CI to proactively detect upstream changes, ensuring your modules remain compatible and stable before they impact your users. Learn how to identify potential issues early and prevent costly support requests.

Golems GABB: How AI and Machine Learning Help Drupal in 2025

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How AI and Machine Learning Help Drupal in 2025 Editor Tue, 04/22/2025 - 12:03

Today, we can confidently say that AI technologies and machine learning are actively being implemented in various areas of human life. This directly concerns Drupal web development.
And here, quite natural questions arise: how can these technologies be used, where, what benefits can they bring, and much more? 
In fact, the potential for implementing such solutions is incredibly huge. A business's main task is always to improve efficiency and quality of service, attract new customers, and increase the final profit.

Nextide Blog: Agentic AI With the Maestro Workflow Engine AI Task

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Agentic AI with Maestro

AI is disrupting the business world where many look to AI as a way to replace personnel. We at Nextide look at AI combined with our Maestro Workflow Engine as a way to increase people's productivity by replacing the mundane or repetitive tasks that humans do, retaining employees and allowing them to focus on important business tasks.  As AI offerings mature, offloading routine and time consuming tasks to AI to perform will become the norm. 

 

Introducing the Maestro AI Task!  

With our latest release of Maestro, you are now able to use an AI-powered task within your workflow templates.  Using the AI LLM of your choice, here's a few examples of what you can do with the Maestro AI Task:

Drupal Starshot blog: Marketplace Share Out #1: What We've Heard So Far

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In the DrupalCon Atlanta Driesnote and follow-up blog post, Dries laid out a bold vision:

Site Templates combine Drupal recipes, a theme, design elements, and default content to give users a fully functional website right from the start."

He also posed a big question to the community: Should we build a Marketplace for these templates—and if so, how?

In just the first couple weeks of conversation, hundreds of community members have weighed in across Slack, blog comments, and BoFs. From enthusiastic endorsements to thoughtful concerns, the input is rich, complex, and deeply-rooted in the spirit of Drupal.

This post captures what we’re hearing so far.

The Opportunity

Many in the community agree: the lack of easily accessible, visually appealing starting points is one of Drupal’s largest barriers to adoption. A Site Template Marketplace could:

  • Lower the barrier to entry for site builders and small organizations
  • Give developers a fast, “wow-worthy” way to spin up sites in hours, not weeks
  • Highlight the full potential of Drupal CMS + Experience Builder
  • Generate new opportunities for agencies, makers, and module maintainers
  • Strengthen the Drupal Association’s sustainability with shared revenue

As one commenter put it:

Every sold theme means a new Drupal site, likely a happy user... and the community gets something back."

What Would Make the Marketplace Useful?

In our first weekly Slack Prompt (#1), we heard:

  • Fast paths to beautiful results: Templates you can install, customize, and deploy in days—not weeks.
  • Tiers of complexity: Lightweight starter kits, robust enterprise templates, and everything in between.
  • Paths for free and commercial use: A mix of free, contributed templates and paid offerings with premium support or assets.
  • Rewards for collaboration: Incentives that elevate templates built by multiple contributors or agencies working together.
  • SaaS-style options: Templates bundled with hosting, updates, or paid support for non-technical audiences.

I wanna grab something from the marketplace, put it together in 2–3 days max, and blow people’s minds." —Community member

The Questions We're Hearing Most

Across Slack and the blog post, several themes of inquiry and caution have emerged:

1. Legal Clarity & Licensing
  • What parts of a Site Template can be sold under Drupal’s GPL license?
  • Will template buyers be able to redistribute what they purchase?
  • Can we enable commercial distribution while staying true to open source values?

Dries has addressed this nuance, noting that:

Assets like images, fonts, and demo content are not code and are not derived from Drupal. These elements… can use other licenses, including commercial ones."

2. Quality, Curation, and Trust
  • How might we prevent a flood of low-quality or AI-generated templates?
  • What might the minimum standards be for a “Marketplace-worthy” template?
  • Will there be community reviews, security checks, and update requirements?

Many worry about the “freemium wasteland” effect—where flashy templates lack depth, break easily, or are quickly abandoned.

3. Revenue, Incentives, and Equity
  • How might we compensate module maintainers when their code is included in paid templates?
  • Should the marketplace allow non-fiat options like contribution credits?
  • How might we incentivize the initial wave of templates while avoiding a “race to the bottom” on pricing?

Seeing others earn money by building on that work without recognition can be disheartening... But when it happens on Drupal.org, we have an opportunity to do better." —Dries

4. Experience & Accessibility
  • Templates must support non-technical users: installable from the CMS UI, not just Composer.
  • The Marketplace should integrate with Project Browser and potentially with hosters.
  • Examples, walkthroughs, and support channels are key for adoption.
5. Governance & Structure
  • Where might the Marketplace live? Drupal.org? Drupal.com? A subdomain?
  • What rules, vetting, and governance structures might protect quality and community trust?
  • Should a rollout be phased—starting with free templates first?
Additional Ideas from the Community
  • Use contribution credits or sweat equity as alternative currency
  • Add a “Marketplace-ready” badge system for contributors
  • Offer lead generation or support links for template maintainers
  • Allow template variation/extension patterns for maintainability
  • Define the relationship between templates, themes, and recipes
  • Rethink terminology: “Site Templates” vs. “Experience Kits” or “Project Starters”

Drupal has always had functionality. What it’s lacked is themes—and that’s what makes users fall in love with a CMS."

What’s Next?

This is just the beginning. Over the next few months, the Marketplace Working Group will continue to:

  • Collect input via weekly Slack prompts, community surveys, and live feedback sessions
  • Map feedback to the F-V-U-D-E model (Feasibility, Viability, Usability, Desirability, Ethics)
  • Explore different models for governance, monetization, and sustainability
  • Share out summaries like this one every few weeks to keep the community involved

We’re on track to make a go/no-go decision in Q3 2025, and your participation is essential in shaping that outcome.

How Can You Get Involved?

There are many ways to plug in and volunteer—whether you have 5 minutes or a few hours a week:

  1. Take a survey - Survey #1: Shaping the Drupal Marketplace: Contributor Perspectives targeted at Agencies, Drupal Contributors and Drupal Certified Partners
  • Join a real-time session - Help shape decisions in live 50-min community calls
  • Become a volunteer - this work is open to all community members—no special technical background required. Many roles are great fits for folks who enjoy facilitation, organizing, writing, or user-centered thinking.
  • Spread the word - Invite others to share feedback or join a session

Nonprofit Drupal posts: April Drupal for Nonprofits Chat

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Join us THURSDAY, April 24 at 1pm ET / 10am PT, for our call to chat about all things Drupal and nonprofits. (Convert to your local time zone.)

We don't have anything specific on the agenda this month, so we'll have plenty of time to discuss anything that's on our minds at the intersection of Drupal and nonprofits. Got something specific you want to talk about? Feel free to share ahead of time in our collaborative Google doc: https://nten.org/drupal/notes!

All nonprofit Drupal devs and users, regardless of experience level, are always welcome on this call.

This free call is sponsored by NTEN.org and open to everyone. 

Please note that, since we postponed for a week due to NTC, the Zoom link for this month is different. Please use the following link for April's call:

View notes of previous months' calls.

Evolving Web: Content Editor UX: Why CMS Usability Is Tough

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Content editors are the unsung heroes of the digital experience. They keep the messaging up-to-date, respond to real-time changes, and ensure that your website remains relevant. But here's the truth: most websites are still too hard to edit.

And that’s a problem we—designers, developers, and strategists—need to solve.

The Problem: Clunky CMS Interfaces and Lost Opportunities

Let me paint a familiar picture.

Imagine  managing a website for a small business, higher ed institution, or nonprofit. Say your small business is a gym and it’s a holiday—your hours of operation change. You know the update should go right on the homepage, but instead, someone posts it to Instagram.

Why?

Because it's easier. The CMS is too clunky. Updating the actual site feels like a chore.

Now scale that to a university with hundreds of editors and thousands of pages. If even a local gym can’t easily update their own website, how can we expect large teams to navigate overly complex CMSs?

We Need to Design For Editors, Not Just End-Users

Content editors are users too yet they’re often left out of the design and build process.

We obsess over the front-end UX while the admin interface—the actual editing experience—gets overlooked. It’s time for a shift in mindset: editing interfaces should be usable, flexible, and empowering.

Modern page builders like WordPress’s block editor (Gutenberg) and Drupal’s upcoming Experience Builder are rapidly evolving.They offer visual, drag-and-drop interfaces that bring content editing closer to what we see on the front end.

But there’s a catch…

Modern Tools Are Only as Good as Their Implementation

While page builders unlock powerful features, they can also introduce too much flexibility.

Dozens of block types, unlimited colour choices, and fine-grained layout controls might appeal to designers—but they often overwhelm editors.

Faced with 40 block types, an editor may not choose the best one for the job.

The solution isn’t to remove features, but to implement intentional defaults and smart guardrails that simplify choices and support consistency.

To Support Editors, Do the Following:   1. Use Clear Field Labels and Help Text
  • Why: Content editors may not be technical. Clear labels reduce confusion.
  • Best Practice: Replace vague labels like Body with  Main Content or Article Body, and add descriptions like “This is the main section of your page.”
2. Organize Fields Logically
  • Why: A well-organized content-entry form improves usability and reduces cognitive load.
  • Best Practice: Group fields in logical sections (e.g., SEO, Header, Content, Sidebar) using fieldsets or tabs. Keep this structure consistent across content types.
3. Provide Flexible Yet Structured Components
  • Why: Editors need creative freedom without sacrificing consistency using tools like Drupal Paragraphs, Layout Builder, or WordPress custom blocks—rather than relying solely on WYSIWYGs. This approach gives editors options to assemble pages in creative ways while maintaining visual consistency.
  • Best Practice: Instead of relying solely on WYSIWYG fields for full-page content, provide a library of reusable, pre-designed components using tools like Drupal Paragraphs or Layout Builder, or WordPress custom blocks. This approach gives editors options to assemble pages in creative ways while maintaining visual consistency.
4. Set Reasonable Default Values
  • Why: Editors juggling multiple tasks benefit from smart defaults. When the CMS provides helpful starting points, editors can focus on crafting meaningful content rather than wrestling with layout or metadata choices.
  • Best Practice: Auto-fill fields like meta descriptions or Open Graph tags based on content. Default layouts and image sizes help editors focus on content, not formatting.
5. Create Granular User Roles and Permissions
  • Why: Editors will be confused if they have access to advanced configuration settings that they don’t have the training to update. Editors should only see what they need—no more, no less.
  • Best Practice: Limit access to advanced features with role-based permissions aligned to staff responsibilities.
6. Make Media Management Easy

Why: Efficient access to quality, on-brand assets speeds up publishing.
Best Practice: Use a media library with previews, drag-and-drop, and asset categories for easy re-use.

7. Build with Accessibility in Mind

Why: Accessibility isn’t just a legal requirement—it’s a key aspect of good user experience. Yet for many content editors, it can be difficult to know whether what they’re creating is truly accessible. That’s where the CMS can provide much-needed guidance.
Best Practice: Use accessible components by default and build guardrails into the editorial interface to help prevent common accessibility issues. 

For example, instead of allowing editors to choose arbitrary colours—which can result in poor contrast—offer a curated colour palette that aligns with brand guidelines and meets contrast requirements. Incorporate a tool like Editoria11y in Drupal or Editoria11y Accessibility Checker in WordPress that allows content editors to do a quick check of accessibility before publishing content.  

8. Train Your Content Teams and Provide Content-Entry Guides

Why: Even the most intuitive CMS can be overwhelming for new or occasional users. Without training, content teams may struggle to understand editorial workflows, component use, or accessibility best practices which can lead to inconsistent content, errors, or underused features.
Best Practice: Provide clear onboarding and content-entry guide. If internal training feels too difficult to manage, talk to us about training your content team to get tailored support and resources.

Too Much Freedom? Giving editors access to unrestricted colour palettes can lead to inconsistent branding and inaccessible content.
Avoid These These Mistakes 1. Don’t Use Technical Jargon

Why: Editors may not understand terms like Node, Taxonomy, or View Mode.
Best Practice: Use plain language labels and admin interfaces (e.g., “News Article” instead of “Node Type: Article”).

2. Don’t Overload the Edit Screen

Why: Too many options causes decision fatigue.
Best Practice: Use conditional fields, collapsible sections, and permissions to simplify the experience.

3. Don’t Hardcode Layouts or Lock Editors Out

Why: Editors often need to update layouts over time.
Best Practice: Provide structured layout tools (like Layout Builder with guardrails), instead of rigid templates, so that content can evolve.

4. Don’t Ignore Performance for Admin Users

Why: Speed is often the single most important factor in delivering a good user experience—especially for content editors working in the backend every day. When editing screens are slow to load or unresponsive, it leads to frustration, interruptions in workflow, and more room for error.
Best Practice: Apply performance best practices to the administrative interface, which could mean changing form settings to reduce the complexity, and selecting page-building tools that load quickly.  

Emerging tools like Drupal’s Experience Builder offer a glimpse into what a high-performance admin experience can look like. Its React-based architecture will enable near-instant updates for editors.

5. Don’t Skip Content Previews

Why: Editors want to know what their content will look like before publishing.
Best Practice: Enable preview modes, ideally with live preview built in, that render content as it will appear on the site. Bonus points for adding a mobile preview.

6. Don’t Neglect Help Text and Documentation

Why: Content editors don’t want to hunt around for links to documentation. They want to be able to get help for the specific task they’re working on.
Best Practice: Add inline help text, links to documentation, or tooltips where possible, to reduce the friction for getting help.

Curating the Editor Experience: Reducing clutter in the block editing interface helps content creators focus on what matters—content, not configuration.
Who Owns the Editor Experience?

That’s a tricky question.

  • Developers think in terms of schemas and data models.
  • Designers empathize with end users, but are often disconnected from CMS workflows.
  • Project managers advocate for client needs, but may not possess full technical insight.

What’s often missing is shared ownership of the content editor experience. Creating a usable backend shouldn’t fall solely to developers or be an afterthought. Instead, we need intentional conversations across roles—designers, developers, strategists, and editors—to prioritize editorial usability from the earliest stages of discovery through to implementation.

In most projects, the CMS backend isn’t explicitly designed. It emerges by default—from how Drupal, WordPress, or similar platforms render interfaces based on content types, fields, and configurations. The result is often a functional but fragmented editing experience. But the backend deserves the same thoughtful design as the front-end—and that means approaching it with intent, not just accepting what the CMS gives us out of the box.
Practical Steps for Each Role

Here’s how each team member can contribute:

Developers
  • Embrace modern editing frameworks. Platforms like WordPress’s block editor or Drupal’s Experience Builder (soon to be released) are built with React to support visual editing. Embracing these tools—rather than older, field-heavy methods—can make editing feel more intuitive and less technical.
  • Simplify the interface. Default page building tools often offer too many blocks, options, and settings. Reduce clutter by removing unused blocks, hiding advanced controls, and setting defaults for fonts, colours, and layouts. This lets editors focus on content instead of configuration.
  • Avoid overcomplicated field systems. When editors need layout flexibility, field-based solutions can be limiting and confusing—kind of like using spreadsheets to design a webpage. Instead, offer structured components that support visual editing but still preserve consistency and accessibility. For WordPress, tools like the Block Binding API, or the Meta Field Block plugin, can help render our beloved structured data in a much more editor-friendly way.
Designers
  • Perform user testing with content editors on the editor interface. Testing with content editors is essential to truly understand how to improve their experience
  • Design with this flexible backend in mind.This requires designers to get familiar with the back-end. Typically, “components” can be placed anywhere on a page, next to any other component. Designers can play a role in giving guidance around how to combine components in a way that creates a good visual balance and a good UX flow.
  • Prioritize consistency in styling defaults. Establish rules for spacing, font sizes, and colour palettes that carry through to the editor experience. This reduces cognitive load for editors and prevents design drift.
  • Create an editorial style guide or content templates. These can help non-designers replicate good layout and visual hierarchy by using predefined combinations of components.
Content Editors
  • Provide feedback during demos—especially on the admin UI. No one knows the job better, so that insight is incredibly valuable. Doing a test run of daily tasks can help surface any gaps and ensure the right tools are in place.
  • Advocate for brand  and accessibility compliance. Ask for sensible options for colours or text sizing so to be able to create branded, accessible content more easily.
  • Request training resources and backend walkthroughs. Think about which formats would be most helpful—whether that’s guides, videos, or live training sessions—to support everyday workflows.
Why It Matters

Websites are strategic investments—often meant to last 5–7 years. A poor editing experience erodes that value.. Editors avoid using a CMS that’s hard to use, content gets outdated, and the site gradually deteriorates.

On the flip side, when content editors are empowered, they:

  • Keep the site fresh and relevant
  • Create accessible content
  • Communicate more effectively with audiences

Improving editor UX saves time, reduces support requests, and supports compliance. Better editing tools don’t just help editors—they help the entire organization.

Looking Ahead Embracing Experience Builder and Beyond

As tools like Drupal’s Experience Builder and WordPress’s block editor (Gutenberg) continue to mature, they’re reshaping how we think about backend design. These systems have the potential to make publishing more accessible. Built on modern React-based frameworks, these systems move away from rigid, form-based interfaces toward dynamic, visual editing environments that more closely mirror the frontend experience.

Visual, drag-and-drop tools reduce barriers for non-technical users and unlock creative autonomy. But flexibility without strategy can quickly lead to clutter and inconsistency.

To truly improve the editor experience, we need to curate the interface, set smart defaults, and collaborate across roles—bringing developers, designers, and editors into alignment from the start. These systems offer real opportunities to democratize publishing but only if we treat backend usability as a core part of the design process.

Join the Conversation

Want to explore this topic further? Join me for a free webinar on May 9 at 12 PM EST, where he'll dive deeper into building better content editing experiences.

Sign up for the webinar!

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Talking Drupal: Talking Drupal #498 - DOJ Accessibility Ruling

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In this episode of Talking Drupal, we discuss the latest DOJ accessibility ruling and its implications for Drupal with special guest Josh Mitchell. Josh, a seasoned expert who has led teams in digital agencies, governments, and non-profits, sheds light on what the ruling means for state and local governments, the importance of accessibility, and steps to achieve compliance. We also explore the Sa11y module, a powerful tool for enhancing website accessibility, and compare it with the Editorially module. Additionally, we touch on the upcoming MID Camp 2025. Tune in for an insightful discussion on making web content more accessible for all.

For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/498

Topics
  • Can you give us an overview of the DOJ Accessibility Ruling
  • Does this apply to federal websites
  • When does this go into effect
  • How does this affect current sites
  • Hwo is Drupal positioned against this
  • Does this rule apply to all content such as PDFs
  • Any tips to organizations
  • JS widgets
Resources Guests

Joshua "Josh" Mitchell - joshuami.com joshuami

Hosts

Nic Laflin - nLighteneddevelopment.com nicxvan John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi Kathy Beck - kbeck303

MOTW Correspondent

Martin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu.com mandclu

  • Brief description:
    • Have you ever wanted your Drupal site to have a built-in accessibility tool that could identify things like potential color contrast issues? There’s a module for that
  • Module name/project name:
  • Brief history
    • It’s worth mentioning that the name is a numeronym, so spelled s-a-1-1-y, which plays off of a common way the word “accessibility” is abbreviated
  • How old: created in Jan 2018 by Bryan Sharpe (b_sharpe) but the namespace was taken over in Jun 2024 by Mark Conroy (markconroy) of LocalGov Drupal, so the current 3.0.1 release, which supports Drupal 10 and 11, is a completely different module than the original 8.x-1.x branch.
  • Maintainership
    • Actively maintained, in fact this module came out of the ongoing work being done on the LocalGov distribution and profile
    • Security coverage
    • Test coverage: no, but the module is effectively just a wrapper for the Sa11y library, which is CMS agnostic and used in the Wordpress and Joomla communities as well
    • The Sa11y library has its own website, which includes documentation
    • Number of open issues: 1 open issues, which isn’t a bug
  • Usage stats:
    • 62 sites
  • Module features and usage
    • We did cover the Editoria11y accessibility checker as MOTW all the way back in episode #350, almost 3 years ago, and Sa11y was mentioned at that time. Both modules have had major releases since then, so I thought this week’s episode would be a chance to do an updated comparison
    • Sa11y does include some checks that Editoria11y does not, such as color contrast checking and a readability score
    • The Editoria11y module, on the other hand, includes site-wide reporting that would be helpful for site admins, as well as a wealth of configuration options including one or more DOM elements to use as the container to check within, a list of elements to exclude, and so on. Recent versions of Editoria11y also include an option for live feedback as you edit, which should work with CKEditor 5, Paragraphs 5 or newer, and Gutenberg
    • At the end of the day, however, both projects are intended to provide your content editors with immediate feedback on the accessibility compliance of what they create. So, it’s worth looking at the feedback each tool provides and deciding which one is more useful for your team in particular

The Drop Times: Early Birds, Welcome

Drupal Planet -

The dust from DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 has barely settled, and already the excitement for the next major event is building. DrupalCon Europe, set for Vienna from October 14-17, 2025, has officially opened very early bird ticket sales. Only 50 tickets are available at a special discounted rate, making this a rare opportunity to secure your spot early.

DrupalCons aren't just conferences - they are the heart of the Drupal community. They are where ideas turn into initiatives, where contributors find their next project, and where long-time professionals and new faces come together to push Drupal forward. Every major leap in Drupal's history can trace roots back to conversations, sprints, and collaborations born at DrupalCons.

The Vienna edition promises four packed days of technical sessions across seven tracks, contribution sprints, inspiring keynotes including the Driesnote, and community events like the International Splash Awards and Trivia Night. Registration also includes access to recorded sessions, catering, social events, and a digital tote bag.

Events like DrupalCon are critical to the future of open-source ecosystems. Code is built in repositories, but trust, cooperation, and shared vision are built in rooms like these. If you believe in the future of Drupal, there's no better place to be.

Don't miss your chance to be part of something bigger - grab your early ticket before they're gone.

Now, let's dive into the most important stories from last week.

DISCOVER DRUPALORGANISATION NEWSEVENT

We acknowledge that there are more stories to share. However, due to selection constraints, we must pause further exploration for now.

To get timely updates, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. You can also join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.

Thank you, 
Sincerely 
Thomas Alias K 
Sub-editor, The DropTimes.

A Drupal Couple: IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now!

Drupal Planet -

IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! Image Image Article body

After years of planning and countless conversations, I'm thrilled to announce that the IXP Initiative has officially graduated to become a program that companies can use right now! This transition represents a significant milestone in our journey to open more doors for new talent within the Drupal ecosystem.

 

The Problem We're Solving

 

If you've been following my work, you know I've been passionate about addressing a fundamental challenge in the Drupal ecosystem: the difficulty new developers face in gaining that critical first professional experience. It's the classic catch-22 – you need experience to get hired, but you need to be hired to gain experience. 

 

This challenge ties directly to what I've been writing about recently – rebuilding Drupal's ecosystem pyramid. For years, I've been working to strengthen both the Latin American community and other regions that represent the middle and bottom of this pyramid. The narrowing base of our ecosystem pyramid poses a serious threat to Drupal's sustainability.

 

I saw this firsthand when my son Santiago completed Mike Anello's Drupal training program. Despite his new skills, he struggled to find opportunities because companies were looking for developers with workplace experience. This sparked my idea about how we should motivate companies to hire new people, introducing the concept of "inexperienced" developers and then aligning with Mike Anello, who had been thinking along similar lines.

 

From Concept to Community Initiative to Program

What began as conversations with Mike and subsequent discussions with Drupal professionals worldwide has evolved into a structured program. I first started raising this issue at DrupalCon Pittsburgh, but it was in Lille where we officially established the initiative. Working with Tim Lehnen (CTO of the Drupal Association), Raul Jimenez, and Borja Vicente, my wife Ana Laura and I were at the table when the initiative page on drupal.org was created.

 

The IXP Program creates structured pathways for companies to hire and mentor developers who have Drupal knowledge but lack professional experience. In return for providing paid work and mentorship, these companies receive substantial contribution credits through Drupal's contribution recognition system.

 

It's worth noting that while we've started with developers, the IXP program can expand to include site builders as well. With Drupal CMS on the horizon, agencies might want to consider adding introductory-level site builder positions to prepare for the new market that Drupal CMS will bring.

What the Program Offers Now

What began as conversations at DrupalCon Pittsburgh and formalized at DrupalCon Lille in 2023 has now evolved into a functional program with:

 

  • A dedicated section on jobs.drupal.org for IXP positions
  • Official documentation at Drupal.org/ixp
  • A structured process for companies and developers to connect
  • Clear entry and exit criteria
  • A robust contribution credit reward system

 

Companies that successfully complete an IXP engagement will receive 250 contribution credits (with a limit of four per year). To put this in perspective, bronze level Drupal Certified Partners need 150 credits, silver requires 500, and gold requires 1,000. That means just one successful IXP engagement puts a company well on their way to bronze certification!

The First Pioneers: Growing Beyond Our Initial Partners

We're excited to announce that our first wave of participating companies has grown beyond just Seed EM and Bluefly. Digital Projex from Uruguay and Digital Polygon from the US have also stepped up to become early adopters of the program. Their diverse perspectives – spanning Latin America and the US – demonstrate how this program can work across different regions and business models.

 

These pioneering companies understand that investing in new developers isn't just about immediate project needs – it's about sustaining the entire Drupal ecosystem for the long term.

How It Works

For those interested in participating, here's what you need to know:

For Companies:
  1. Register on the IXP site at the registration site (which is now ready for registrations and engagements)
  2. If you're looking to find an IXP in the market, post a job on jobs.drupal.org (coupon codes available, just ask!)
  3. If you already have trainees ready, you can simply register them directly on the IXP site
  4. Create an engagement in the system with your IXP hire and mentor
  5. Provide paid work (minimum 160 hours) with mentorship (1 hour of mentoring per 10 hours of paid work)
  6. Submit bi-weekly progress reports
  7. Ensure the IXP developer contributes back to Drupal in some way
  8. Complete a final report and review process
  9. Receive your 250 contribution credits!
For New Developers:
  1. Visit jobs.drupal.org and activate your jobseeker profile
  2. Select "IXP Developer" in your job category
  3. Look for positions in the IXP Developer Hub
  4. During your engagement, work with your mentor to contribute back to Drupal
  5. Document your experience in a blog post
  6. Complete the program to transition from "inexperienced" to your first professional Drupal experience!
Why This Matters for the Drupal Community

This program directly addresses multiple challenges we face:

 

  1. A Broader Base: As I've written about in my "Rebuilding Drupal's Ecosystem Pyramid" post, Drupal needs a stronger foundation. The IXP Program helps widen that base by creating more entry points.
  2. Regional Development: We want Colombian companies hiring Colombians, Brazilian companies hiring Brazilians, and so on across all regions. This program supports regional development by making it easier for companies to invest in local talent.
  3. Contribution Culture: By requiring IXP developers to contribute back to Drupal, we're building contribution habits from day one.
  4. Recognition for Investment: Companies that take the risk and invest time in mentoring new developers deserve recognition, even if those developers eventually move on to other opportunities.
Get Involved

We need your help to make this program a success! Here's how you can contribute:

 

  • Companies: Register on the IXP site at the registration site and consider posting an IXP position.
  • Developers: Update your jobs.drupal.org profile to indicate you're an IXP developer.
  • Volunteers: We need help managing workflows, reviewing engagements, and developing resources. Look for us at drupal slack #ixp-fellowship.
  • Everyone: Share your experiences with internships or mentoring programs as case studies.

 

Find more information about the initiative at drupal.org/ixp.

Looking Forward

This is just the beginning. With our pioneering partners leading the way, we're creating a model that can be replicated across regions and companies of all sizes. As we learn from these initial implementations, we'll continue refining the program to better serve both new developers and the organizations that support them.

 

I want to especially thank Sarah Lorensen for her outstanding work on UX and theming for the IXP site, which is ready to receive registrations and begin engagements right now.

 

I've always believed that Drupal's strength lies in our community's ability to identify challenges and build solutions together. The IXP Program represents another step toward a more inclusive and sustainable ecosystem where talent can flourish regardless of experience level or geographic location.

 

What experiences have you had with bringing new developers into your organization? What challenges did you face, and what strategies worked well? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

 

About Building the Bridge: How Drupal CMS and IXP Could Empower Digital Agencies Author Carlos Ospina Abstract The IXP Fellowship has officially evolved from an initiative to a functional program, creating structured pathways for companies to hire and mentor inexperienced Drupal developers. Companies completing engagements receive 250 contribution credits per hire, strengthening the Drupal ecosystem's sustainability. Seed EM, Bluefly, Digital Projex, and Digital Polygon are the first participating organizations. The program addresses the catch-22 of needing experience to get hired while broadening Drupal's talent base. Registration is now open at drupal-ixp.site. Tags Drupal Planet drupal drupal community IXP Program Drupal Future Rating Select ratingGive IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 1/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 2/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 3/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 4/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 5/5Cancel rating No votes yet Leave this field blank Add new comment

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