My Journey with Mobile First: Hidden Superpowers (Part IV)

Initially, as an outsider to the mobile first and responsive web design world, I thought those concepts would greatly increase my work load. After all, we're talking about designing for multiple devices, right?

The truth is, though, that I find mobile first web design so much fun. In addition, it possess certain aspects that give me some web designer "superpowers."

So without further adieu, here are three reasons why I love mobile first and responsive web design (RWD):


1. It's Just Dang Fun!

Why do I find mobile first so enjoyable? Well, until recently, designers would create a fabulous design for one medium - the PC. And that was all well and good. But now, via RWD, we can also create variations of that same design to shine on tablets and mobile phones as well.

Not to mention, people can now view our designs anywhere and anytime they choose!

I mean, come on now...as a designer, that's just cool!

My Journey with Mobile First: What Does It All Mean? (Part III)

Thus far in the series, we've established the necessity of implementing both responsive and mobile first web design. But what exactly do those terms mean? And, more importantly, how do they affect the way designers and developers need to approach web design?

Responsive Web Design (RWD)

Simply put, a responsive web design is one design that provides an optimal viewing experience across a variety of devices (i.e. desktops, tablets, and smartphones). In other words, instead of having two separate websites (one for desktop and one for mobile), there is one site that adapts accordingly.

How is this achieved? Through the utilization of a fluid layout, CSS3, and media queries. Media queries allow you to automatically detect the resolution of the device viewing the site and set the layout to adjust accordingly. For example, you can set content to be hidden or visible depending on the device.

RWD can also include RESS which stands for "responsive web design + server side components." Because RWD design includes just one site framework and set of assets, such as images, it can pose some challenges. For example, you don't want to force smartphones to load large images that are only appropriate for desktops. By utilizing RESS, however, you can deliver appropriately-sized images to each device type - thus ensuring a faster and more pleasant user experience.

My Journey with Mobile First: Plunging Forward (Part II)

If you're reading this blog series, chances are the mobile first concept is new territory for you. It certainly was for me, until several months ago when I accepted my current position as the Webmaster for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.

A week later, I was invited to join the county's collaborative team spearheading the redesign of the county website. One of the project's main objectives is to create a responsive website. Yet not a single person on the team had any experience in responsive web design (RWD) or the mobile first concept - including myself.

Staring the unknown in the face, I chose to fearlessly plunge ahead and conquer. Mainly because I want to excel at my job and industry of choice. But there were also two secondary factors in my decision to tackle responsive web design and mobile first now versus later: 

My Journey with Mobile First: Biting the Bullet (Part I)

Mobile first web design is all the rage - and rightly so. A recent report from Forrester estimates that there will be one billion smartphones in use by 2016. Once upon a time, the PC was the main device used to access the Internet. Today, it's simply a device - and one that will be soon be in the minority compared to smartphones and tablets.

Yes, the landscape of the Internet is drastically changing - making the mobile first model a must. Yet, while the concept is certainly gaining traction, only a small number of web designers and businesses have embraced it.

New Blog Series Coming Soon