This document discusses responsive web design and how it allows websites to adapt to different screen sizes and devices. It introduces some key concepts of responsive design including flexible grid-based layouts, flexible images and media, and media queries. It provides examples of how to use these techniques like converting pixel sizes to relative units and setting breakpoints with media queries. The goal of responsive design is to think about the user's needs on different devices and help future-proof websites.

1. Responsive Web Design: The View
of the World Depends on the
Glasses I Wear
Paul Laberge
Technical Evangelist
Microsoft Canada
@plaberge
paul.laberge@microsoft.com

2. How we viewed the web…
• The Desktop Browser

3. How we view the web today…
• The Desktop Browser
• Mobile Browsers
• Tablet form-factors
• Televisions
• Game Consoles
• More…
• Yeah, so what’s the problem?

4. demo
The Anti-Pattern

6. Responsive Web Design
• Thinking of the user’s needs instead of ours.
• Adapt to various device capabilities instead of
configurations.
• Help future-proof our sites.

7. demo
Responsive Web Designs

8. Elements of Responsive Web Design
• A flexible, grid-based layout,
• Flexible images and media, and
• Media queries.
• Something else.

9. Flexible, Grid-based Layout

10. Ok, so what’s the problem?
• Non-responsive sites are no fun.
• Fixed-width sites are not the best experiences.
• Design tools tend to use pixels.
• Sometimes a pixel does not equal a pixel.
• So how do we turn pixels to their em
counterparts?

11. Pixels to Ems Algorithm

13. Responsive Web Design READ MORE >>
h1 { h1 {
em font-size: 24px; 24 / 16 = 1.5 font-size: 1.5em;
} }
h1 a { 11 / 24 = h1 a {
% font-size: 24px; 0.458333333+ font: 0.458333333+;
} }
1 2 3

14. Didn’t You Say Something About a Grid?

15. Flexible Images and Media

16. A Simple Solution
Works on images, as well as other media like <video>.

17. Another Possibility
Filament Group – depends on cookies and JavaScript

18. Media Queries

19. Not so long ago…
• We could define media types: screen and print.
• But not easily respond to the user’s display.
• Lots of grunt work.
• Didn’t spend much time thinking about mobile
devices.

20. CSS3 Media Queries
• The CSS3 Media Queries Module specifies
methods to enable web developers to scope a
style sheet to a set of precise device capabilities.

21. Simple Example
@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
body {
font-size: 80%;
}
}

22. Other Queries
@media screen and (min-width:320px) and (max-
width:480px)
@media not print and (max-width:600px)
@media screen (x) and (y), print (a) and (b)

23. Can be declared…
In the Stylesheet
Import Rule
@import url(mq.css) only screen and (max-
width:600px)
link Element
<link rel=“stylesheet” media=“only screen and
(max-width:800px)” href=“mq.css”>

24. Supported Media Properties
• min/max-width • color
• min/max-height • color-index
• device-width • monochrome
• device-height • resolution
• orientation
• aspect-ratio
• device-aspect-ratio

25. demo
Little Pea Bakery

26. What About Devices?
• viewport meta tag
• <meta name=“viewport”
content=“width=device-width”>
• device-width vs. width
• maximum-zoom

27. What about non-supportive browsers?
• css3-mediaqueries-js by Wouter van der Graaf
• Just include the script in your pages
• Parses the CSS and applies style for positive media
tests

33. Hey, what was that 4th thing?
• Design.
• Do we start with mobile-first?
• Is it best that all sites are responsive?
• Do we need or want to do visual comps for every
device?
• Don’t dismiss mobile as walking and looking something
up.
• We are at the beginning, that’s what makes this
interesting!

35. Remember To Complete Your Evaluations!
You could WIN a Samsung Focus
Windows Phone 7!
Let us know what you liked & disliked!
Remember, 1=Bad, 5=Good 
Please provide comments!
No purchase necessary. The contest is open to residents of Canada (excluding government employees). The Toronto Tech·Days evaluation form contest begins on October 25th, 2011 and
ends on October 26th, 2011. The Vancouver Tech·Days evaluation form contest begins on November 15th, 2011 and ends on November 16th, 2011. The Montreal Tech·Days evaluation
form contest begins on November 29th, 2011 and ends on November 30th, 2011. Participants can enter the contest in one of two ways: (1) complete and submit an evaluation form by the
contest close date; or (2) provide contact information by the contest close date. The draw for Toronto will take place on October 31st, 2011. The draw for Vancouver will take place on
November 21st, 2011. The draw for Montreal will take place on December 5th, 2011. The chances of being selected depend upon the number of eligible entries. Selected participants will be
contacted by phone and/or e-mail and will be required to answer correctly a time-limited skill-testing question. There are three (3) prizes available to be won. One (1) prize will be given away
for each Tech·Days event in Toronto (October 25-26 2011), Vancouver (November 15-16 2011) and Montreal (November 29-30 2011). The prize consists of a Samsung Focus Windows
Phone 7 (handset only; voice and/or data plan not included) (approximate retail value of $499 CAD). The prize will be delivered to the shipping address designated by the winner within 6-8
weeks. The winner may be required to sign a declaration and release form. For full contest rules, please see a Microsoft Tech·Days representative.
You can email any additional comments directly to
td_can@microsoft.com at any time.

36. Q&A

37. © 2011 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should
not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation.
MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.