Let’s face it, most of us create and build websites on the desktop. The tools we use are designed for the desktop. And because of that, our mindset is focused on the desktop.
Most clients visualize their designs from a desktop perspective.
The issue is – that is not how most of us are consuming daily content.
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When we design for the desktop and then try to make it work on mobile – we’re only getting half the project done right. Mobile devices and tablets have unique user experiences, that are different from the desktop. You could even make the case that at a minimum you are designing for at least three unique experiences: desktop, tablet, and mobile.
I realize responsive designs are meant to solve the layout problem. I know that designing with a mobile first approach helps focus our attention on the smallest devices first. But what about the user experience?
Designing to provide a great user experience on any device is not simply a matter of resizing content. Media queries alone will not solve the problem.
I started examining how much time I was spending with my clients discussing the unique user experiences on mobile, tablets, and desktops. What I discovered was – most of our focus was on the desktop. Perhaps it is because that is where we are reviewing the designs and laying out content. That is where our mindset is.
But yet research shows that how visitors are accessing content is changing.
I spend most of my time using an iPad for content consumption – in landscape mode. All too often, navigation menus wrap and appear disjointed, along with layout issues that do not effectively utilize the available space. The layout is not optimized for my experience. It fails.
So while the desktop design may wow your client, taking the time to explore creating optimal user experiences on other devices may ultimately help with conversions and reduce bounce rates.
This all leads up to having those discussions with clients when designing a site. Educate them on the importance of creating great user experiences for their visitors on any device.
Points to consider
- Have early discussions about designing experiences vs. designing a website.
- Review the objectives for the site and how best to serve visitors based on their device.
- Test your layouts on multiple devices. Ask your client to give as much time and attention to reviewing the site on a mobile device as the desktop.
- Finally pay close attention to tablet layouts, especially in landscape mode.
Each project is different and it is important to understand the intended audience and how you can best serve them.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on how you are approaching these challenges.
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Glad you wrote this, Jackie. I rarely even see mobile design styles talked about in the design process. Of people who I know their workflow personally (where I’ve seen it up close), 99% of the time there is only a desktop version is designed and whoever is doing front-end development has to decide everything else. Maybe the mobile menu gets discussed before the build begins, but not always.
Obviously this is a outdated process. More people use mobile devices than desktop, and that number gets bigger every day. But there are a hundred things to consider with mobile design not talked about.
How is the mobile menu going to open? Sticky header or not? What about elements that are clearly designed for hover effects? What happens on a touch screen? Morten talked about this in one of recent podcast episodes, that designers forget that not every touch screen is mobile, and that has a huge impact on user experience.
It seems as an industry like we still use some outdated methodologies, but hopefully more forward thinking articles like this will encourage others to examine their process and adapt to the year we’re currently in.
Great points. Solid insights.
However, the reality is most clients, after educating them or not, cling to their long established expectations. Often these were established when they worked with design/dev resources that call Photoshop a web design tool. Many of them still do.
The fact is, doing it right isn’t easy, nor cheap. The point being, if the lower end bids typical get the work, how does right rise to the top if wrong remains the status quo?