How to Learn About Mobile Web Design
With a high proportion of the world’s population using the Internet, effective web design has never been more important. Aesthetics and functionality are two of the key guiding factors in successful web development. Due to technological developments occurring almost daily, many people currently make use of various mobile devices to access the Internet. This has compelled web developers to adapt new strategies in web design. Professional web designers are focused on giving their clients superb results and are keen on getting ahead in the field. This necessitates engaging in formal training, which helps to build design skills that allow development of mobile applications. If you’re keen on mobile web development and are wondering what this entails, outlined below are some fundamentals you may want to explore.
Code Modification
While you can create a code from scratch, specifically for mobile web, the other option is to adapt an existing web design to accommodate mobile devices. This would largely entail rescaling the dimensions of an existing layout to support specific user devices. However, it is important to remember that when adapting web designs, there is a likelihood that some techniques employed may not be compatible with user devices.
Content
Successful mobile web designing entails publishing of minimal content. It is true that mobile web users want to access the same information and services that computer users would access. However, the difference comes in the way that this information is represented to users. Representation of content cannot be uniform across all devices. For mobile users, representation is affected by factors such as bandwidth specifics, device capability, user context and mobile network capability. It is also important to realize that the needs and requirements of mobile device surfers are different from those who surf on computers. Providing the same content for mobile web surfers as you would for computer surfers is likely to frustrate your mobile web design objectives.
Familiarize Yourself with Phones
You’ll find an incredible variety of phones in the mobile phone market, with different shapes, sizes and resolutions. The rich variety in phones can actually hamper the work of web developers. It helps if you have a basic understanding of screen dimensions out there. Knowledge of the various screen dimensions allows you to optimize your content more efficiently.
Layout
Individuals in web design careers understand only too well that layout design can be a challenge. This is no less the case, even when designing for mobile web users. Layout essentials demand a lot of expertise and application of the right skills and techniques. The variety in mobile device shapes, sizes, resolutions and capability are some of the factors that can make layout design problematic. It helps if you remember that mobile web users need to find whatever they’re looking for, easily and quickly. Simplicity is the key here. The less information you fit into a small space, the easier it will be for the user to scroll and read through. Single column layouts are a good idea, compared to multi-layered columns, which tend to break often due to limited space.
Markup Selection
When developing a mobile web site, you have to identify a markup that allows you to meet the needs of your customers. Different markups work well for different audiences. You need to have some knowledge of the type of phones that are widely used by your market segment. Once you understand which mobile devices are being used, it becomes easier to identify a markup language that is compatible with specific built-in phone browsers.
Sources:
Designing for the Mobile Web Article. (2012) SitePoint.
Designing for the Mobile Web Article. (2012) SitePoint.
Mobile Web Design: Best Practices. (2012) Six Revisions.