The advent of smartphones and tablets, many of us lingered in a state of blissful ignorance. Believing that we could tame the web’s inherent unpredictability, we prescribed access requirements while prioritizing our own needs over the needs of our users.
As regulations became more and more detailed, responsive web design (RWD) signaled a way out. In addition to offering the means to build device-aware layouts, it also ushered in an era of rethinking; never since the adoption of web standards has our industry experienced such a radical restructuring of thinking and practices.
Since Ethan Marcotte first honored these sites in his article five years ago , thousands of websites have been launched that have responsive layouts at their core. During this time, we’ve experimented with new ways of working, honing our design and development practices to a much better fit for this fluid, complex medium.
And as we emerge from the Age of Enlightenment, we need to consolidate our education and consider how we can continue to build on it.
Responsive framework
When we think of frameworks, we usually think of software libraries and other abstractions related to execution and code. But this type of framework distances us from the difficulties we face when designing for this medium. Last year, when Ethan talked about the need for a framework , he proposed one focused on our approach — a working framework that would help model ongoing discussion and measure the quality and appropriateness of our work.
I believe that we can formulate such a framework primarily by agreeing on some set of essential design principles. You may already be familiar with this concept. Some organisations, such as GOV.UK and Google , use it to define the characteristics of their products, even their organisations. Kate Rutter describes the design principles as:
…short, punchy phrases that serve as guiding lights and support the development of great product experiences. Design principles allow you to be honest with your users while staying true to your long-term strategy (emphasis mine).
The website’s long-term strategy is to enable universal access to information and services. This thailand phone number data lofty goal is essential to the web’s continued importance. Design principles must operate in favor of this vision, addressing:
user. When we build inclusive teams that listen to users — and even work side-by-side — we achieve greater reach.
medium. When we make fewer assumptions about context and interface and focus more on user tasks and goals, we create more adaptable products.
ourselves. By choosing tools that are friendly, easy to use, and open to change, we may create a greater similar questions people also ask willingness to collaborate within teams.
Let’s reflect diversity in practice
When surveying web-accessible devices, trying to categorize common characteristics can seem maddeningly by lists daring. While this breadth and variability can sometimes seem frustrating, device fragmentation is only a reflection of human diversity and consumers exercising their right to choose.