Day 23 of the Drupal Advent Calendar Focuses on UX Research in Drupal CMS

Staff Reporter

Day 23 of the Drupal Advent Calendar, curated by James Shields, features Emma Horrell, who leads UX efforts at the University of Edinburgh and within the Drupal ecosystem. Her talk outlines how formalized UX research is shaping a more intuitive, user-centered Drupal CMS, aimed at easing the traditionally steep learning curve. From pre-launch benchmarking to post-release studies, her team’s structured approach informs improvements in terminology, content creation, and user onboarding.

Emma discusses initiatives like the “Drupalisms” project to simplify terminology and research into how users build and relate content. Future-facing work includes studies on site templates as rapid-start tools and AI integration that builds user trust. Both areas are guided by real-world scenarios and user feedback. She highlights how Drupal CMS functions as a proving ground for UX enhancements that can inform Drupal core.

The talk ends with a call for community involvement in UX research and experimentation. By collaborating on feedback and discovery, contributors can help shape a more accessible and responsive Drupal experience for all users.

Reference: Advent Calendar day 23 – No more steep learning curve! by James Shields (lostcarpark) (23 December 2025)

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