Polish IA Summit 2012 - Designing for everyone, everywhere, at anytime
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My presentation for the Polish IA Summit 2012 about designing for a broader user base, a bigger diversity in needs and device usage. Abstract: "Design for everyone and you design for no one” has been the universally acknowledged mantra shared with clients, colleagues and students when they ask “What about …?”. But does it still hold true? Today the users we design for access the web from an ever increasing array of devices used everywhere and at any time. From the young to the old more people are online with each user expecting what they use to work for them, and them specifically. Their journeys are becoming less linear with multiple entry points and wished for onward journeys across devices, resulting in an endless list of ‘could be’ scenarios for us as designers. More than ever by targeting a specific audience, and specific scenarios, we’re shutting out or compromising the experience for the rest. But, is it actually possible to design for everyone and everywhere and if so, where do you start? This case study based talk will cover the challenges and changes we are faced with today and based on principles from responsive design, dynamic publishing, contextual and timely content identify how to design for everyone and everywhere by defining: - what designing for more diverse users and multiple devices means for us as designers and the clients we work with - how it impacts the principles and methods we are used to working with - what tools and deliverables we can use to address and define the complex landscape and requirements we are working within
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Polish IA Summit 2012 - Designing for everyone, everywhere, at anytime
- 1. Case study: Designing for EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE, AT ANY TIME Polish IA Summit, Warsaw 2012 Anna Dahlström www.annadahlstrom.com annadahlstrom
- 2. “ DESIGN FOR EVERYONE & YOU DESIGN FOR NO ONE “
- 3. “ DESIGN FOR EVERYONE & YOU DESIGN FOR NO ONE “ Why
- 4. “ DESIGN FOR EVERYONE & YOU DESIGN FOR NO ONE “ Why What
- 5. “ DESIGN FOR EVERYONE & YOU DESIGN FOR NO ONE “ Why What How
- 6. A bit of HISTORY 04 15 29 03 20 17
- 13. 04 February 2004 | Facebook 15 July 2006 | Twitter 29 June 2007 | iPhone 03 April 2010 | iPad 20 April 2012 | IASW 17 May 2014 | ?
- 19. Devices TODAY
- 21. Location TODAY
- 23. Journeys TODAY
- 24. Once upon a time... http://www.flickr.com/photos/excomedia/sets/72157622519563566/with/5233990438/
- 25. Flat in VACANT POSSESSION
- 26. A secret HATCH
- 27. Unwanted WALLS
- 31. Then came the DUST
- 32. And new LESSONS
- 36. Based on ASSUMED KNOWLEDGE http://www.etsy.com/shop/kylespears?ref=top_trail
- 37. Endless RESEARCH
- 39. And Plan Bs ON THE GO
- 41. But, it could have been like this.
- 42. 1. AUDIENCE | TAKING A CLOSER LOOK 2. CONTENT | WHAT IS REALLY NEEDED 3. DEVICES | HOW THEY ARE USED
- 43. 1. ” Everything starts with the user “ Steve jobs
- 45. NEW & SAVVY USER NEW & “TELL ME WHAT I SAVVY RETURNING SHOULD CONSIDER?” RETURNING USERS EXPERT NEW & “NOT SURE WHICH BUT “A SPECIFIC NOVICE “WE WANT TO A THERMAL THERMAL BATH” “WHAT IS COMPARE A FEW” BATH” A BATH?” MORE DIVERSE NEEDS http://jhonman.wordpress.com
- 46. WELCOME! HOW CAN WE HELP GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU Not catering means A COMPROMISED EXPERIENCE http://jhonman.wordpress.com
- 47. 2. ” Serving up the same stale content to everyone is without a question no longer enough “ Said by Sam Quayle, Smashing Magazine
- 48. ONE TO ONE EXPERIENCE
- 49. THE DRINKS THE 5 COURSES ONLY GIRLS GROUP PRE-THEATRE THE STARTER & GROUP DESERT GROUP THE BIRTHDAY TAKE AWAY PARTY COUPLE STRAIGHT TO MAINS GROUP WHO | WHERE | WHAT | HOW & WHERE NEXT?
- 50. ACTUALLY, IT’S NOT PEOPLE LOVE THESE. BUT JUST ABOUT COCKTAILS WE ALSO NEED WINE WANT MORE BREADTH NOONE ORDERS THIS NOONE ORDERS THIS BEST SELLERS For each piece of content BE CLEAR ON ITS IMPORTANCE & PURPOSE
- 51. 3. ” Content needs to be choreographed to ensure the intended message is preserved on any device and at any width “ By @trentwalton
- 52. USED FOR USED FOR SHOPPING SHOPPING USED FOR SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR ISN’T DETERMINED BY LOCATION OR DEVICE http://desktopwallpaper-s.com/19-Computers/-/Future/
- 53. USED IN THE USED ON THE SOFA GO USED ON THE TOILET PHYSICAL CONTEXT DOESN’T EQUAL TASK
- 54. THE WEB THE WEB THE WEB THE WEB THE THE THE WEB WEB WEB THE WEB THE WEB Users have an expectation of EQUAL & CONTINUOS EXPERIENCE
- 55. What does this all mean ?
- 56. “ DESIGN FOR EVERYONE & YOU DESIGN FOR NO ONE “
- 57. DESIGN FOR EVERYONE ≠ DESIGN FOR NO ONE
- 58. 1. AUDIENCE | BROADENING OUR VIEW 2. CONTENT | INSIGHT & PRIORITISING 3. DEVICES | EQUAL EXPERIENCE
- 59. Step 5 User needs Step 4 Step 6 UX lifecycle Business needs Step 3 Step 7 Key user journeys Competitor analysis Step 8 Step 2 A few other steps Formulating the vision incl. doing the sitemap Step 1 Step 9 Defining the target audience Wireframes
- 60. Step 5 User needs Step 4 Step 6 UX lifecycle Business needs Step 3 Step 7 Key user journeys Competitor analysis Step 8 Step 2 A few other steps Formulating the vision incl. doing the sitemap Step 1 Step 9 Defining the target Wireframes audience
- 61. 1. AUDIENCE | BROADENING OUR VIEW
- 62. Who out of EVERYONE Where do I start? I have a vague idea I know what it should I know exactly & shouldn't have what I want
- 63. Who out of EVERYONE Where do I start? I have a vague idea I know what it should I know exactly & shouldn't have what I want
- 64. Who out of EVERYONE Where do I start? I have a vague idea I know what it should I know exactly & shouldn't have what I want
- 65. 2. CONTENT | INSIGHT & PRIORITISING
- 66. Everyone & their NEEDS Awareness Consideration Confirmation Purchase Support Where do I I have a vague I know what it I know exactly start? idea should & shouldn't what I want have
- 67. Everyone & their NEEDS BUSINESS NEEDS • Ensure users aren't lost • Provide the user with a • Feature user reviews • Provide a store locator • FAQs that minimise the & converted on a comparison tool on the site number of customer competitor's site services calls received Awareness Consideration Confirmation Purchase Support Where do I I have a vague I know what it I know exactly start? idea should & shouldn't what I want have
- 68. Everyone & their NEEDS USER NEEDS • Background information • Clear route into the • Reassurance that I • Effortless • Easy access to and help & advice on where to products they are after have made the right completion of in times of trouble start choice their order BUSINESS NEEDS • Ensure users aren't lost • Provide the user with a • Feature user reviews • Provide a store locator • FAQs that minimise the & converted on a comparison tool on the site number of customer competitor's site services calls received Awareness Consideration Confirmation Purchase Support Where do I I have a vague I know what it I know exactly start? idea should & shouldn't what I want have
- 69. Everyone & their NEEDS KEY ENTRY POINTS • Search (to page) • Search (to page) • Bookmark • Home page • Search (to page) • Home page • Home page • Home page • Bookmark USER NEEDS • Background information • Clear route into the • Reassurance that I • Effortless • Easy access to and help & advice on where to products they are after have made the right completion of in times of trouble start choice their order BUSINESS NEEDS • Ensure users aren't lost • Provide the user with a • Feature user reviews • Provide a store locator • FAQs that minimise the & converted on a comparison tool on the site number of customer competitor's site services calls received Awareness Consideration Confirmation Purchase Support Where do I I have a vague I know what it I know exactly start? idea should & shouldn't what I want have
- 70. KEY DEVICES • Laptop • Laptop • iPad • Computer • Mobile • Mobile • iPad • Laptop KEY ENTRY POINTS KEY ENTRY POINTS • Search (to page) • Search (to page) • Bookmark • Home page • Search (to page) • Home page • Home page • Home page • Bookmark USER NEEDS • Background information • Clear route into the • Reassurance that I • Effortless • Easy access to and help & advice on where to products they are after have made the right completion of in times of trouble start choice their order BUSINESS NEEDS • Ensure users aren't lost • Provide the user with a • Feature user reviews • Provide a store locator • FAQs that minimise the & converted on a comparison tool on the site number of customer competitor's site services calls received Awareness Consideration Confirmation Purchase Support Where do I I have a vague I know what it I know exactly start? idea should & shouldn't what I want have
- 71. Action & Content PRIORITISATION Action Content Explore Research Confirmation Buy Background Tools Related Buying Bathroom Related Browse Compare Copy url Add to basket Types of bath Our guarantee planner products Remove from Comparison Preview Filter Email Buying guides User reviews Delivery basket tool What to look 10 questions to Price Find out more Search Read reviews Locate store Store locator for help you choose comparisons Find contact Find the right Alternative Customer View range Find related Share About our baths info bath accessory products support
- 72. Action & Content PRIORITISATION Action Content Explore Research Confirmation Buy Background Tools Related Buying Bathroom Related Browse Compare Copy url Add to basket Types of bath Our guarantee planner products Remove from Comparison Preview Filter Email Buying guides User reviews Delivery basket tool What to look 10 questions to Price Find out more Search Read reviews Locate store Store locator for help you choose comparisons Find contact Find the right Alternative Customer View range Find related Share About our baths info bath accessory products support
- 73. Action & Content PRIORITISATION Action Content Explore Research Confirmation Buy Background Background Tools Related Buying Bathroom Related Browse Compare Copy url Add to basket Types of bath Types of bath Our guarantee planner products Remove from Comparison Preview Filter Email Buying guides Buying guides User reviews Delivery basket tool What to look What to look 10 questions to Price Find out more Search Read reviews Locate store Store locator for for help you choose comparisons Find contact Find the right Alternative Customer View range Find related Share About our baths About our baths info bath accessory products support
- 74. 3. DEVICES | EQUAL EXPERIENCE
- 75. Page DESCRIPTIONS Baths Logo Header Individual product Logo Header The purpose of this page page is to The purpose of this • educate the user Bath section intro Ad page is to Bath A intro on the types of • Provide an baths available Nav overview of the Nav • provide quick product access to specific • Present detailed baths information Ad • highlight offers & Types of baths Popular • Provide access to products Spec for bath A & popular products Store user reviews Store reviews locator locator Related products Tools Tools Footer Footer
- 76. Behaviour ACROSS DEVICES Desktop/ Tablets Mobile 1 2 1 2 Header Logo Header Logo 3 4 5 Nav Bath section intro Ad 4 Bath 5 3 section Ad Nav intro 7 6 Related Types of baths 8 Store products locator 6 Types of baths 9 Tools 10 Footer 7 Related products 8 Store 9 Tools locator 10 Footer
- 77. Wireframes & MODULE LIBRARIES Desktop/ Tablets Mobile 1 2 1 Module 4a Module 4b 2 Header Logo Header Logo 3 4 5 Nav Bath section intro Ad 4 Bath 5 3 section Ad Nav intro Module 6a Module 6b 7 6 Related Types of baths 8 Store products locator 6 Types of baths 9 Tools 10 Footer 7 Related products 8 Store 9 Tools locator 10 Footer
- 78. What about budgets, timelines, mobile apps & websites ?
- 79. ” Today's popular devices are not tomorrow's so building something which works on any device is better than building something which works on today's devices “ Combined wise words from @onextrapixel and @trentwalton
- 80. Different WE NEED TO DESIGN FOR devices are here to THEM & IDENTIFY HOW BEST stay TO DESIGN FOR THEM
- 81. THIS INCLUDES LOST Consider CUSTOMERS, BUILDING & alternative costs MAINTAINING MULTIPLE VERSIONS
- 82. Take an MORE COLLABORATION & adaptive approach A FLEXIBLE TOOLBOX
- 83. THERE SHOULD BE AN EQUAL Educate & be persistent EXPERIENCE ACROSS ALL DEVICES
- 84. ” Money spent developing a pretty but limited iPhone app only benefits...the few, but money spent on the website UI would have benefitted everyone “ Said by Gary Marshall on ‘The app trap’ in .net Magaizine
- 85. ” Everytime you redesign God kills a kitten “ Wisely said by @louisrosenfeld
- 86. Thank you! QUESTIONS? annadahlstrom annadahlstrom www.annadahlstrom.com www.flickr.com/photos/matterphotography/2739799786/
Editor's Notes
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- I'm sure you've heard it, been told it and said it yourself. I certainly have - "Design for everyone and you design for no one"\nThe phrase has traditionally been used referring to that by including all the requirements of your different target audiences, stakeholders and the business you end up with a product that is trying to satisfy everyone and by doing so satisfies no one.\n
- I'm Anna, I’m a freelance IA/UX designer and I'm here today to talk to you about:Why - the old saying doesn’t necessarily hold true any more\n
- What - that means for us as IAs\n
- How - we can address it and the ever increasingly complex and unknown world that we design for\n
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- 29 June 2007 saw the first iPhone released and with that everything change. For the first time we were able to experience the web in our hands, the way the web was supposed to look \n\n
- 4 February 2004 - Zuckerberg launched Facebook\n
- 15 July 2006 - Twitter launched\n
- 3 April 2010 - saw the first iPad\n
- 20 April 2012 - It’s the Polish IA Summit and the internet is everywhere. It's a 24-7 party and everyone wants to join in\n
- 17 May 2014 - Apart from being the national day of Norway and the day I turn 35 we don’t really know what the future holds for us here\n
- But a lot has happened in the last few years alone so it’s a pretty safe guess that a lot will happen in the next few years to come.\n
- This is Wally. \nImage from http://www.findwaldo.com/fankit/graphics/\n
- He normally appears in this type of pictures\nImages from http://www.findwaldo.com/fankit/graphics/\n
- They were a bit like Wally. Everyone came in a few different disguises but we could fairly easily narrow down who our main target audiences were and what they needed\n\nImage from www.guardian.co.uk/world/picture/2010/jun/01/eyewitness-world-record-wally \n
- Today everyone has changed. Where as the web was much more deterministic back “then” it’s turned animalistic and everything is up for grabs.\nMore diverse user base with more people than ever online, each one expecting the internet to work for them and them specifically\n\nImage from www.robotshop.com/blog/where-is-wall-e-1391\n\n\n\n
- Back then we could fairly easily narrow down:\n\n what they’d be using to access the services we designed\n devices were limited, screen sizes and types of browsers more uniform and easier do develop for\nIt was much more of a one to one relationship\n
- Today browsers have multiplied and to add to that designing for different devices is the new designing for different browsers.\n
- Back then we could fairly easily narrow down where they’d be using our service, e.g. at home, office and with that their internet speed. \nSome times it would be on the go but for very limited tasks, mainly due to devices not being able to deliver the full experience\n
- Today what we design can be access from anywhere and at any time\n\n\n
- Before we could fairly easily narrow down how they would get there and where they would go. \n Most arrived via the home page. \n Perhaps one or two landing pages were made for key searches\n\n
- \n Search is one of the key routes into the services that we design putting greater expectations on the pages we define as we no longer can rely on the home page providing users with the context they need\n Access and entry points have multiplied with the use of social media\n And the means or route we take is less important. As long as we get there and find what we are after\n\n\n\n
- Let me tell you a story\n\nImage thanks to @excomedia http://www.flickr.com/photos/excomedia/sets/72157622519563566/with/5233990438/\n
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- Image from http://www.etsy.com/shop/kylespears?ref=top_trail\n
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- Image from http://keithmansfield.co.uk/2008/08/29/gone-fishing/\n
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- Image from http://www.tekspertise.com/\n
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- And it has to do with these three points\n
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- With more people online there is a potentially much broader user base and target audience meaning...\n\nImage from http://jhonman.wordpress.com/\n
- ...more diverse needs, from tasks to the level of information they need, that we need to accommodate and cater for\n\nImage from http://jhonman.wordpress.com/\n
- Having a solid understanding of who our users are, how and where they typically access the services we design and what they want from them becomes key in ensuring that we don't alienate certain groups or provide a compromised experience \n\nImage from http://jhonman.wordpress.com/\n
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- Our experience on the web often feels like a one to one experience. We know that we aren't the only ones using the Internet but when we use it we expect it to work for us\n\nImage from http://www.barbecoa.com/assets/images/food-menu.jpg\n\n
- Tailoring an experience for a user is based on knowing what that user wants.\nIt's about knowing who they are and where in their journey they are and what they need at that stage\nIt’s about knowing how they get there and where they want to go\n\nImage from http://www.barbecoa.com/assets/images/food-menu.jpg\n\n
- It’s about finding the right level of detail at the right time and in order to do this we need to have the importance and the purpose of each piece of content clear to us.\n\nImage from http://www.barbecoa.com/assets/images/food-menu.jpg\n\n
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- Users are more and more accessing the web in the same way on their portable devices as they are on computers.Behaviour is no longer determined by location or device\n
- Previously we could assume, based on lack of devices that could provide the experience, that if a user accessed a service on the go it would be for a particular and quite narrow task. But that isn't the case any more. The physical context the user is in doesn't by default equal the task they want to carry out, meaning serving up different content just because they are on their mobile isn't always right\n\n\n
- Instead there is an increased expectation that we will have an equal and continues experience across and irrespectively of the devices that we are using.\nThe reason so many users click "desktop version please” is because they feel or worry they are missing out.\n\n\n
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- So where as there of course still is truth in the old saying ‘Design for everyone and you design for no one’...\n\n\n
- ...the changes that have happened in the last few years means that it has to be taken with a pinch of salt and everyone now is just as much about every device and the devices being used everywhere\n\n\n
- So what do we need to do?\n
- If we look at a typical process it may look somewhat like this (shortened for illustrative purposes)In its basic form this isn't changed by the new landscape that we design for, but there are some additional measure that needs to be taken at the planning and defining stage to address and ensure we cover the different aspects that designing for everyone, everywhere, at any time poses\n
- In the next few slides I’m going to talk through some ideas I have on how we can start addressing this in the steps highlighted. They are by no means the only way to do it but builds on tools that I use today and which I find work and which I believe with a slight modification can help us address designing for everyone, everywhere, at any time.\n
- This is about really making sure that we know who our users are, both our primary and secondary audience and that we understand their needs and what devices they will be using when. In the next few slides I’m going to walk through some tools that can help us.\n
- In the case of users wanting to buy a bath you can group them into these four groups\n1) The “Where do I start user?” who doesn't have a clue where to begin (that was me and D by the way)\n2) The “I have a vague idea” user who have done a bit of research\n3) The “I know what it should and shouldn’t have” user who, e.g. know that they are not after a steel bath because that’s too expensive\n4) The “I know exactly what I want user” who is ready to click ‘buy’ or hand over their credit card\n\n
- From a business point of view it may be preferential to focus on the bottom two target audiences as they are the ones that is easiest to convert. \nBy only focusing on them you end up excluding or compromising the experience for the top two groups, which is what happened in our case. We weren’t taken care of. \n
- Instead what you need to do as a a business, and what we should ensure happens, is that you also, in one form or another address the needs of the top two groups and broaden your focus so some light falls on your second or tertiary target audiences.\n\n
- And this ties in with content and understanding what the content needs are and prioritising the content accordingly, keeping different devices in mind.\n
- I utilise lifecycles a lot. For the given product or service I work on I start by defining the different stages of the lifecycle and what each stage means. . In the case of buying a bath I’ve used awareness, consideration, confirmation, purchase and support which map quite nicely with our four user groups that I defined in the previous slide. The start of the awareness stage sees the ‘Where do I start?’ user who as they move into the consideration stage turns into the ‘I’ve got a vague idea’ user. As they move through the consideration stage they form an idea of what the bath should and shouldn’t have (or be) for then by the end of that stage and in the purchase stage know exactly what they want.\n
- Most projects are often initiated by the business coming with either a problem or something they want so let’s map what our fictive business has in terms of needs for the bath section of their site. \n\n
- Now that we have the business needs clear the next step is to lay the user needs on top (simplified for illustrative purposes). Once that is done you start to have a good overview of both the user and the business side of things but in order to address the ‘designing for everywhere, at any time’ aspect there are two more aspects that we can lay on top.\n\n
- The first one is the key entry points. Analytics and path analysis help us identify these patterns, or if you don’t yet have access to it base it on research. \n\n\n
- The same thing can be done with devices and looking at traffic data. What device are users actually using the most at each stage? Once you’ve got this all mapped you have a summary view that not only is great as a reference point for the internal team but also to communicate diversity and complexity to stakeholders. \n\nNote. In real life I normally carry out start with the user needs and then move on to the business needs to ensure that the business have the user in mind when identifying what they need at each stage.\n\n
- This framework is one I developed after having seen a talk at EuroIA in Amsterdam a few years back.\nIt’s simple and works great in stakeholder workshops by involving them in the process.\n\nStart by brainstorming actions and content that would go on a given page or in a given section. This should be done before the stakeholder workshop and can be based on an internal team discussion or kick off meeting with the client. \nType in the result of the brainstorm in a format as above and print out A3 or A4 version and give a copy to each of your stakeholders. \n\n
- Provide them with a pen and ask them to circle the content they would like to see on the page/section and the actions that a user should be able to do (highlighted)\n\n
- Once that’s done have a discussion about what they’d circled before getting everyone to mark the things, out of what they circled, that they think are the most important and critical to the project. Both from a user and from a business point of view (stars).\nDiscuss and then talk through what content and what actions that require a slightly different approach based on if the interface the user will be using is touch based or if it’s on a smaller device (white corners).\n\nThe end result is a visual overview which is easy to grasp both for the internal team to communicate the outcome of the workshop, but also for the stakeholders. And it becomes a great reference point up front for what will be different on touch or smaller devices.\n\n
- Once we got a clearer understanding of the content and we can start fleshing out how the content and functionality should come together and work across devices\n
- It’s a preference of style but I start with doing sketches and then page description diagrams of all key pages before going into wireframing. The reason being that it allows me to \n1) think through and get a holistic view of the content and get it organised up front before going into the detail.\n2) to identify patterns between pages and where modules can be reused and \n3) by writing down what the purpose of each page is next to the page description diagram it forces me to think and be clear on who it’s for and what it should be doing\n4) useful tool for responsive design and designing for multiple devices\n\n\n
- Page description diagrams, whether done for mobile first or desktop version first (as in this case) give you an overview of the content that goes on each page and in each coloumn. \n\nNormal content stacking, used to identify how the content will behave and move when the screen size decreases often go by the rule of left column on the top, followed by the middle coloumn followed by the right hand coloumn, but that doesn’t always correspond with the importance of the content.\n\nThe first step in defining your content stacking strategy is to priorites your content (see the little numbers). Once that is done you’ve got a guide to how the content should adapt and in which order it should come in when the screensize changes. In this case you can see that the ad (5) was rated more important than the store locator (8) and the tools (9) and so was related products (7), but had we followed normal content stacking principles the ad and related products would have been in the bottom three modules when looked at on a mobile phone. \n\nWhether you’re a believer in responsive design and designing for mobile first, principles from both of these methods helps us prioritise content and serve as sound check points ensuring that we know why each piece of content is there and how, as Trent Walton talks about, it should be choreographed across devices (http://trentwalton.com/2011/07/14/content-choreography/).\n\n\n
- I don’t believe we should or have to wireframe everything. It’s not always feasible or needed. \nWhen it comes to designing for multiple devices or doing responsive design it would be a nightmare if we had to do wireframes for each device and as for responsive design it would kind of defeat the point. \n\nIdentify key pages (as we do already) and key devices (if needed) and do wireframes for them. \nThen try to work at a modular level and whether you sketch it or do low fidelity module definitions, work together with design and development to identify how a module should change from the normal desktop version to the mobile version or vice versa. \n\nThe good thing about module libraries is that those can’t just be used to define content across devices but also to be re-used across pages, e.g. to provide the right content at the right time to the user using dynamic publishing or be contextual based on where the user is coming from.\n
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- Whether you believe in responsive design or not different devices are here to stay and we need to design for them, but more importantly identify how we design for them.\n\n
- Doing responsive or adaptive design is not always the answer and there are definitely cases where a bespoke app is needed. Or, for reasons related to technical limitations a bespoke mobile website is needed. However, where possible we should opt for an adaptive solution. It will require a bit more cost up front, particularly as we are still getting our heads around how to work with these new challenges, but this needs to be weighed up against:\n\nthe cost of loss of customers\nthe cost and pain of doing 20 different wireframes/designs for each device\nthe cost of building and maintaining besoke versions and content for different devices\nthe cost of having to rebuild in the not to distant future\n
- Responsive design is not a linear process. We need to adapt new processes where we work more collaboratively, across disciplines and where we as IAs have a flexible toolboox that we can draw from and which helps us assess designing for everyone, everywhere at any time. As we have done up until now it’s about applying the right tool for the right situation and having a pre-defined toolbox to use can help make the process less time consuming and complex.\n
- And finally, it’s partly our responsibility to educate internal stakeholders, our teams and our clients on what the impacts are for the business (both the client’s and our own) and the users if we keep offering separate experiences for different devices. We need to convince them why we should invest upfront in doing it in a way that can adapt to the future and lead the way in how best to work together across disciplines and in involving the client so they understand the complexities.\n
- As I’ve mentioned before are definitely times when an app is the right approach, but this quote is a good reminder to ask yourself -”Would the majority of our users benefit more from investment in the desktop UI to make it work for mobile, or from us doing an app?” \n\nGary Marshall argues in the above reference article that in many banking cases the reason they do have a mobile app is because their current websites do not work for mobile. However, had they invested more in the desktop UI to make it adapt to mobile an app may be less needed.\n
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- http://www.flickr.com/photos/matterphotography/2739799786/\n\n\n\n