Mobile for UCL WebNet, 3 December 2012 Dan Jackson, Senior Web Architect

The Problem The mobile explosion

OCTOBER ,910

OCTOBER ,308

OCTOBER ,620

Once upon a time and not so very long ago, mobile meant digital experiences for on-the- go phones. Now we use the word for experiences that are neither on-the-go, nor for phones. Mobile isnt especially mobile anymore: its on the couch, or in bed…and even the crisp equation mobile = phone started to break down with the arrival of tablets of all shapes and sizes.

Unique combinations of screen resolution + OS, Aug – Nov 2012? 648

The Options What can we do?

OPTION #1 Go Native

The primary design principle underlying the Webs usefulness and growth is universality …it should be accessible from any kind of hardware that can connect to the Internet: stationary or mobile, small screen or large. Tim Berners-Lee, Long Live the Web, Not every mobile device will have your app on it, but every mobile device will have a browser. Jason

OPTION #2 Experiences

Device experiences are a way to classify the troves of connected devices available to consumers today so you can build and design separate and appropriate interfaces for each. A device experience is defined by how a device is most commonly used and the technical capabilities or limitations it possesses. Luke Wroblewski,

OPTION #3 RWD

RWD is an approach to web design in which a site is crafted to provide an optimal viewing experienceeasy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling across a wide range of devices.

The Challenge Changing the way we work

RWD is a method, not a feature.

The concept of permanently placing content on a web page for a single browsing width or resolution is becoming a thing of the past. Trent Walton,

Like bringing a knife to a gunfight Andy Clarke,

Next Steps