subject: Factors Affecting Responsive Web Design [print this page] If you want to build a website design which fits all devices, big or small, then you can achieve this goal with a Responsive Web Design. Making the users across a broad range of devices and browsers get access to a single source of content, laid out so as to be easy to read and navigate with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling is what RWD (responsive web design) is all about. RWD essentially indicates that a website is crafted to use W3C CSS3 media queries with fluid proportion-based grids to adapt the layout to the users viewing environment. A talk about responsive design would be incomplete without mentioning Marcotte as this whole idea of RWD started with an article by Ethan Marcotte on A List Apart, where he proposed the idea of creating flexible, fluid and adaptive websites to fit all devices.
In the last decade, there have been continuous changes in the field of website designing; these changes are mainly determined by the times, the current trends and the latest fads in the age of blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Below are a few factors currently affecting web design:
Flexible screen resolution:
Everytime a new device hits the market, it affects the website designs in some or the other way and there is no prior way to anticipate what"s going to be the next launch. So in this ever-changing landscape of devices, browsers, screen sizes and orientations, it has become essential to create flexible, fluid and adaptive websites which fits all screen sizes and can open in any browser.
A good user interface:
A good user interface, in other words, a user-friendly interface is a must so that the users can easily tell the computer what they want to do; the computer can understand the request and provide the correct information to the user. Navigation is also an important aspect of a good interface. According to the User Interface conventions, the Vertical page navigation should be on the left; User navigation top right; Content centre; Ads and extras on the right "" a layout followed by the Google results page.
Web-Font tools:
Until recently, web designers and programmers have had to rely on "web safe" fonts, a small group of fonts available on most computers. But with the emergence of new web-font tools, web design no longer remains restricted, resulting in beautiful typography and design variation across the web. Further, these tools can help achieve a focused brand identity and also add value to the user experience.
This new standard of Responsive web design is presently at the doorsteps of the field of website development, but its prospects as a future of website design are excellent.
If you have had any experience, positive or negative, with Responsive Web Design, then feel free to share with us through your comments.
