We’ve started an Excel document: DWC Requirements.xlsx. This document lists all the features that we would need to have on a new instance of [ 21:43 ] WordPress. Why? During this activity you list not your modifications, but business cases – what is it you need system to do? To make it easier, I divided the requirements into several categories: Header, Main Body, Forums, Footer, Admin and Plugins. That way you are listing all the features that you get acquainted to in the old system.

Next activity is a Design. It is a completely different skill set. Design requires knowledge of new enhanced features of new WordPress, new themes, new plugins and how all this could work together. If you just proceed from Requirements into Execution, you will crunch old modification into new modification and you will end up with exactly the same system as before. Design stage allows you to plan to implement your requirements in new system using new tools and new features. That is the most creative and challenging stage of the upgrade.

And completion of Design will allow you to select your final tolls including WordPress theme.