Responsive Web Design (RWD) and User Experience
The key takeaway from the RWD article is using breakpoints to allow the page to be responsive, removing the need to build multiple codes per device size. Currently, I am building my website on a blank canvas using Elementor. As I am creating my website using a blank canvas, breakpoints allow me to be aware of how my site responds. I have tested my columns and content throughout my design process to see if they are responding and performing correctly to support users across all devices.
Mobile Websites: Mobile-Dedicated, Responsive, Adaptive, or Desktop Site?
It is interesting to learn about the different mobile websites available such as mobile-dedicated, responsive or adaptive sites. These websites are created to serve different purposes. It is important to see what the site will be used for and build it on the type that best fits the user’s needs.
Big Pictures on Small Screens: Remove, Resize or Reorganise
I agree entirely with the article’s key point that images that work well on large screens do not always translate well to small screens. Currently, I am trying to get my images from my case study to respond to mobile. On Desktop, they look great, but once I put them onto mobile, I come up with a lot of the usability problems presented in this article. I aim to try some recommended solutions, such as removing images, resizing or cropping images, and editing text associated with the im to solve my responsiveness issues on my case study page.
Photos as Web Content
This article made clear that the photos you choose play a big part in how a user will interact with your site. Users tend to ignore stock images and prefer authentic images that carry information. A lot of users tend to ignore purely decorative images. For my case study page, I focused on showing images that really communicated meaning. I have a few images for design purposes, Although I believe they also share my work and are needed in the case study.
Mobile User Experience: Limitations and Strengths
Through this article, what really caught my attention is the concept of content feature prioritisation. When thinking about the opportunity cost of each element on the screen. Does this need to be here? What is this element trying to solve for the user? Because we are limited with the size of a screen, as a designer, I realise it is important to design things with usability.
The State of Mobile User Experience
It is interesting to see the maturity of the mobile user experience. How elements of the iPhone have grown over the years creating new behaviours and interactions on how users use smartphones. The one I found most interesting is the swipe gesture of the iPhone. How this further interaction removed the need for a home button allowing more space in UI design. I’m excited to see how mobile user experience changes and matures as we make it more usable.