Everything you wanted to know about the mobile web but were afraid to ask...blueflavor.com

Everything you
always wanted
to know about the
mobile web *
_
_ But were afraid to ask
*
Copyright © 2006 Blue Flavor. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners.

Follow Along
http://www.blueflavor.com/sxsw2007/


Who am I?


Who am I?
* Co-founder & Principal of Blue Flavor.


Who am I?

* Mobile Designer since 2000.


Who am I?


* Have worked directly with all Tier 1 carriers in North
America and most of Tier 2.


Who am I?



* Helped brands like Rolling Stone, Napster & ESPN with
mobile web strategy & design.


Who am I?




* Run mobiledesign.org, the largest network of mobile
designers.


Who am I?




* Run mobiledesign.org, the largest network of mobile
designers.

* Author of dotMobi Developers Guide.


Part 1

Why the Mobile Web?


Jargon Alert

Mobile Web
The collective term for websites designed for
viewing on a mobile device. Websites are published
and accessed via the Internet just like a regular
desktop website.


Just how big is the
Mobile Web?


The Size of Texas


20,000,000

The Size of Texas


The Population of the Earth


Population of The United States



Population of The United States

Population of China



Mobile Web of Today


Mobile Web of Today
Mobile Subscribers


Mobile Web of Today
Global Mobile Web Access
Mobile Subscribers


Mobile Web of Today
Global Internet Users
Global Mobile Web Access
Mobile Subscribers


Mobile Web of Tomorrow


by 2010
Mobile Web Subscribers

Mobile Web of Tomorrow


How many users are there?


Mobile Web Users



Mobile Web Users

Global Internet Users



Mobile will revolutionize
the way we gather and
interact with information in
the next three years.


Mobile has the potential to
reach anybody through
any medium.


Vote Vote

Down
load Notify

WAP
IVR
Discuss
Buy
SMS

SMS

IVR
Send to
Notify
Friend
WAP

Bluetooth
TV
Radio
Send to
Notify
Friend
SMS

SMS

Billboard
Live
Send to Buy
Friend
WAP

ry

Vi
to
MMS

su
di

al
Au
Join WAP Site
QR Code
Word of Print Ad
Mouth
SMS

Kinesthetic
Notify
Notify
SMS

Mobile Events
WAP
Device
Buy Send to
Friend
QR Code
Website
MMS
Join
Notify
SMS

SMS
Email
WAP Site
WAP Site
MMS
SMS

Send to
Send to
Friend
Friend

Notify
Notify

Jargon Alert

LBS
Location-based Services
The ability for a mobile device to provide
information that is relevant to it’s physical location
via a Global Positioning System (GPS).


Prepare for a truly
contextual web.


We are at the precipice
of the next generation of
the web.


Part 2

Creating a
Mobile Web Strategy


“Find a need and fill it.”


Bu
sin
ess
Go
als
Spot
Sweet

Te
User Goals ch
nic
al
Balancing Goals
Go
als


The 3C’s of the Mobile Web


* Cost
If you don't develop your mobile website responsibly, the user could get
stuck with a big bill in order to view your content.


* Cost

* Content
Issues like navigation, image sizes, page weight and scripts all need to be
considered when thinking about your website on mobile devices.


* Cost

* Content
Issues like navigation, image sizes, page weight and scripts all need to be
considered when thinking about your website on mobile devices.

* Context
What does your website add to the users mobility? How do you add value to
the their physical context? What is the context in which they will use your
site? On a bus or train?


Lose anything that
doesn’t support the goals.


Part 3

Mobile Information
Architecture


Home About Us

Company Press
Executives Org Chart
Overview Releases

Products

Standard
Home Suite Pro Suite Whitepapers
Suite

Services

License Installation
Product Consulting
Management Support
Services Services
Services Services

Support

Support Intranet
Office Hours Contact
Request Login

News &
Events

Press
News Events
Releases

Blog

Contact

Contact
Sales Offices
Form

A Bad Mobile IA

Keep it Simple

* Limit categories to 5

* Limit links to 10

* No more than 5
levels deep

* At least one content
item per category

* Prioritize links by
activity or popularity


Home

Blog
Events
News &
Services
About Us

Contact Us
Products &
Support

Locations

A Good Mobile IA


Remember:
Goals, Cost, Content &
Context


Jargon Alert

Clickstream
Used to refer to the series of clicks, or path, the user
takes to reach a destination in an informational
space. Often used to describe user behavior gathered
from server logs, but also can be used in early
planning, as in “creating the optimal clickstream.”


Products &
Services

Support
About Us

Product &
Services
Overviews
Company
Home
Overview

Navigation
Navigation Footer
Executive
Overview

Navigation
Latest News Footer

Latest Blog
Posts

Main Phone
Blog
Main Address
News & Events
Footer

Contact
Events
Recent Posts
Locations

Phone
Legend Numbers News Items
Primary Navigation
Page Address
Footer
Navigation
Contact Form
Content Area Footer
Navigation
Link to Page
Footer

Designing Clickstreams

Jargon Alert

Mobile Service Provider
A broad term to describe the mobile network provider
that provides subscribers wireless access to voice and
data services.
Also known as a mobile network operator, or MNO in the telecommunications industry, though
usually referred to as carriers in North America and operators elsewhere in the world.


Part 4

Mobile Web Design


More Compatible

Flavors of Mobile Design
Richer Experience


Effort
Reward

UI
Device

Time to complete task
UI
App
Design
Gateway

Effort versus Reward
Design
Content

Goal


Multiple Screens Sizes


128 pixels

160 pixels



128 pixels

176 pixels

160 pixels

220 pixels


128 pixels

176 pixels

320 pixels

160 pixels

220 pixels

240 pixels


128 pixels

176 pixels

320 pixels
240 pixels

160 pixels

220 pixels

240 pixels

320 pixels


128 pixels

176 pixels

320 pixels
320 pixels
240 pixels

160 pixels

220 pixels

240 pixels

320 pixels

320 pixels


128 pixels

176 pixels

320 pixels
320 pixels
240 pixels

160 pixels

220 pixels

240 pixels

320 pixels

320 pixels
200 x 250 pixels

Recommended Max Size


Comparing Mobile Devices
* Many devices are
similar, but vary based Feature Phones
on how they are Phone, WAP, SMS

provisioned.

* Look only at mass
market phones.

* Do not design for smart Smart Phones
phones or PDA’s. Applications

PDAs
Keyboard, Stylus


Primary
Directional
Orientation

1 1 Select Previous Link or Scroll Up

2 Select Next Link or Scroll Down
3 4
3 Back or Page Up

Forward or Page Down
4
2

Directional Orientation

Footer
Header

Content
Navigation

Navigation

Design Horizontally


The canvas might not be as
robust, but there is still a
need for designers.


Part 5

Understanding
Mobile Web Standards


Jargon Alert

XHTML-MP
Extensible HyperText Markup Language:
Mobile Profile
A subset of XHTML Basic and HTML. Used as a
primary markup language for the WAP 2.0 protocol.


XHTML-MP


XHTML-MP
* XHTML Basic and XHTML-MP are virtually indistinguishable


XHTML-MP

* XHTML-MP is the predominant language for the mobile web.


XHTML-MP


* It’s possible to use standard tools to create mobile web pages.


XHTML-MP



* Since XHTML-MP is similar to XHTML, the transition to the
mobile web need not be complicated to developers.


XHTML-MP




* XHTML-MP is the default industry-supported language for
mobile web development.


XHTML-MP




* XHTML-MP is the default industry-supported language for
mobile web development.

* Unless a mobile service provider requires providing WML to
support older devices, XHTML-MP is the only needed
language in mobile web design.


<? xml version=”1.0” encoding=”UTF-8” ?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//WAPFORUM//DTD XHTML Mobile 1.0//EN”
“http://www.wapforum.org/DTD/xhtml-mobile10.dtd”>
<html xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml”>
<head>
<title>Hello World!</title>

<meta http-equiv=”content-type” content=”application/vnd.
wap.xhtml+xml” />
</head>
<body>
<div id=”intro”>
<h1>Hello World!</h1>
</div>
<div id=”content”>
<p>This is a simple XHTML-MP Page</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Example XHTML-MP

If you know XHTML.
You know XHML-MP.


Wireless CSS


Wireless CSS
* Wireless CSS supports most CSS attributes,
but not all of them.


Wireless CSS

* More advanced styling techniques won’t likely
work across multiple mobile browsers.


Wireless CSS


* The best advice is to keep your CSS as simple
as possible.


Wireless CSS


* The best advice is to keep your CSS as simple
as possible.

* Try to use document styles versus style


Keep your code and styles
simple and you will do fine
on most mobile browsers.


W3C Initiatives


W3C Initiatives
* Mobile Web Best Practices
Goal: To advocate a variety of coding principles and publishing best
practices to developers, publishers and mobile service providers.


W3C Initiatives

* mobileOK
Goal: To create machine-readable labels and a mobileOK trustmark to
indicate that the mobile web site adheres to the Best Practices
recommendations.


W3C Initiatives

* mobileOK
Goal: To create machine-readable labels and a mobileOK trustmark to
indicate that the mobile web site adheres to the Best Practices
recommendations.

* Device Description
Goal: To create a method of profiling and identifying device capabilities to
ease adaptation.


Jargon Alert

One Web
The principle of making the same information and
services to users regardless of the device used.
This is a very misunderstood, misused and
commonly debated concept.


Part 6

Getting started with
XHTML-MP


With a few exceptions
you already know how to
code for mobile today.


Correct Encoding & Doctype
* Character Encoding
Ensuring the use of the correct character encoding and doctype makes
sure that the page renders as expected.
<?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”UTF-8” ?>

* XHTML-MP Doctype
The document type (doctype) tells the browser how the page needs to
render, including the rules and how strictly to follow these rules.
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//WAPFORUM//DTD XHTML
Mobile 1.0//EN” “http://www.wapforum.org/DTD/
xhtml-mobile10.dtd”>


Use Well-formed Code
* All elements should be closed, e.g. <br />.

* All non-empty elements should be closed.
<p>Example Text</p><p>Example Text</p>

* All elements must be closed in the reverse order.
<em><strong>Example Text</strong></em>

* The alt attribute should be used for all images.
<img src=”image.png” alt=”Image Description” />

* Text should appear within a block level element and not directly in the body.
<body><p>Example Text</p></body>

* Inline elements should always nest with block level elements.
<h2><em>Example Text</em></h2>

* All attributes should appear within quotes.
<hr noshade=”true”/>

* All elements and attributes should use lowercase.
<p class=”Sm”>Example Text<hr noshade=”true”/></p>


Avoid Tables for Layout
* Layout tables become a big problem when
viewed in multiple mobile browsers.
<body>
<div id=”header”>

</div>

</div>
<div id=”footer”>

</div>
</body>

Place Navigation in the Content Body

* Given the vertical orientation of the mobile
page, we show only navigation that’s relevant
to the page.
<ol>
<li><a href=”news.html”>News</a><li>
<li><a href=”products.html”>Our Products</a></li>
<li><a href=”customers.html”>Our Customers</a></li>
<li><a href=”about.html”>About Us</a></li>
<li><a href=”contact.html”>Contact Us</a></li>
</ol>
</div>


Use accesskeys in the Primary Navigation

* The primary navigation should include an
assigned accesskey that corresponds to a
numbered keypad whenever possible.
<li><a href=”news.html” accesskey=”1”>News</a></li>
<li><a href=”products.html” accesskey=”2”>Our Products</a></li>
<li><a href=”customers.html” accesskey=”3”>Our Customers</a></li>
<li><a href=”about.html” accesskey=”4”>About Us</a></li>
<li><a href=”contact.html” accesskey=”5”>Contact Us</a></li>


Use Ordered Lists for Navigation

* Using ordered lists for navigation rather than
unordered lists will indicate to the use the
associated accesskey.
<ol>
<li><a href=”news.html” accesskey=”1”>News</a></li>
<li><a href=”products.html” accesskey=”2”>Our Products</a></li>
<li><a href=”customers.html” accesskey=”3”>Our Customers</a></li>
<li><a href=”about.html” accesskey=”4”>About Us</a></li>
<li><a href=”contact.html” accesskey=”5”>Contact Us</a></li>
</ol>


Use Document Styles, Not External Styles

* Linking to an external file requires most
mobile browsers to first load the XHTML-MP
document, and then load the external
stylesheet.

* When using external stylesheets the user may
experience a brief “flash” of unstyled text
before the stylesheet has a chance to load.
Instead, insert styles into the <head> of a
document.


Linking Phone Numbers
* One of the benefits of the mobile web is that
its users primarily view it on a phone, allowing
the user to quickly and easily make phone
calls.
<a href=”tel:+12065450210”>+1 206 545-0210</a>


Forms can be Tricky
* Entering data into a mobile web site is often a
difficult and time-consuming process.

* To avoid wasting the user’s time and causing
frustration, use few or no forms.

* However, when using forms, keep the needed
information as little as possible.


Part 7

Mobile Publishing


Simple
Complex

Slower
SSR
Reformat
Stylesheets

Va
lu
e
Mobile Specific Site

Faster

Context vs. Content


Supporting Devices & Browsers


* Over 500 devices being sold each year.



* Over 50 mobile browsers to contend with.




* Crowding stems from mobile service provider
provisioning.




provisioning.

* Mobile service provider linked sites must
support all provisioned devices and browsers.




provisioning.


* Adopts standards has been around for much
longer in mobile.




provisioning.


* Adopts standards has been around for much
longer in mobile.

* Older or poorly designed devices don’t require
support.


Focus on Five.


Publishing Methods


Publishing Methods
* Educate the user to manually enter a mobile
URL such as a folder or sub-domain.
e.g. domain.com/mobile or mobile.domain.com.


Publishing Methods

* Detect the mobile device automatically and
redirect the user to a location.
In this case, the user simply enters domain.com.


Publishing Methods


* Use the mobile specific .mobi top-level domain.
Here the user enters domain.mobi.


Publishing Methods


* Use the mobile specific .mobi top-level domain.
Here the user enters domain.mobi.

* A SMS query that returns a URL called WAP
Push.


The Device Detection Dilemma


* Simple Device Detection
Publish only one mobile specific site, designed for the lowest supported
browser, routing all mobile browsers to it.



* Advanced Device Detection
Programmatically render the best possible mobile specific site to the
requesting device.



requesting device.

* Mobile Stylesheets
Code XHTML pages with the mobile context in mind and use the media
type attribute to render a mobile stylesheet to mobile devices.



requesting device.

* Mobile Stylesheets
Code XHTML pages with the mobile context in mind and use the media
type attribute to render a mobile stylesheet to mobile devices.

* No device detection
Rely on an alternate domain or subdirectory forcing the user to manually
enter or navigate to the mobile specific site.


Jargon Alert

Adaptation
The process of dynamically optimizing content to the
restrictions of the requesting device.
The adaptation model relies on the mobile device’s user
agent profile to tell the server to deliver markup or images
based on the browser, screen size and device capabilities.


Testing


Testing
* Desktop Testing
Testing from a normal desktop browser is a great way to start.


Testing
* Desktop Testing

* Browser Tools
Browsers like Opera and Firefox have tools specific to mobile testing.


Testing
* Desktop Testing

* Browser Tools

* Emulators
Allows for desktop verification without loading on to a device.


Testing
* Desktop Testing

* Browser Tools

* Emulators

* Device Testing
Test as many as you can, but focus on five good mainstream devices.


Testing
* Desktop Testing

* Browser Tools

* Emulators

* Device Testing
Test as many as you can, but focus on five good mainstream devices.

* Usability Testing
Test early and often with as many users as you can.


Resources


.mobi Developers Guide
Mobile Web
Developers Guide
Part I: Creating Simple Mobile Sites

BRIAN FLING
with Ronan Cremin, Jo Rabin and D. Keith Robinson

http://dev.mobi

http://mr.dev.mobi
.mobi Mobile Ready Report


Mobile Design

http://www.mobiledesign.org


Thank you.


Brian Fling
Co-founder & Director of Strategy, Blue Flavor
brian@blueflavor.com
tel. +1 206 545-0210
mob. +1 206 351-6060

http://www.blueflavor.com/sxsw2007/


Everything you wanted to know about the mobile web but were afraid to ask...blueflavor.com

Everything you wanted to know about the mobile web but were afraid to ask...blueflavor.com

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