Estimating theme work
This page is for designers who need to say how long a theme takes. No figures are given here: your own records are the only reliable source. The page shows how to build them.
Break the work down
| Piece | Includes |
|---|---|
| Setup | Theme extension skeleton, settings, test siteaccess (The design extension wizard) |
| Pagelayout | Head, header, navigation, footer |
| View templates | Full, line, embed views per content class |
| Overrides | Rules for classes, sections, nodes |
| Styles | Tokens, components, responsive layout, print |
| Dark mode and right-to-left | If in scope |
| Accessibility | Contrast, keyboard, landmarks, forms; an axe run per page |
| Content Security Policy | No inline scripts or styles |
| Testing | Widths, zoom, browsers, light and dark |
| Documentation and handover | README, editor guide, session |
| Review rounds | Changes after the client's feedback |
Step by step
- List the pieces for the project, with the number of templates per piece.
- For each, take your recorded time from earlier projects; where you have none, estimate and mark it as a guess.
- Add review rounds and a margin for the unknown, and say both openly.
- After the project, record the actual time per piece. Next time your estimate is better.
Common underestimates
- Testing at several widths, in dark mode and at 200% zoom.
- Edge cases of content: long titles, missing images, empty fields.
- Upgrading the theme for the next Exponential release (Following Exponential releases).
Related pages
- Pricing a custom theme project
- Estimating and scoping with extensions
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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