Today's web surfers are more than likely using some form of mobile device more often than a desktop computer. If your website doesn't render properly on their device you have probably lost a customer.

Responsive Web Design

While the term responsive web design is relatively new for most website owners it is quickly becoming the norm for well designed websites and web applications. You may or may not be familiar with the term but if you want your site to work for everyone that visits it you should really check how your sites renders in as many devices as possible. It could very well be the difference between success and failure for your project.

What Is Responsive Web Design?

Simply put, responsive web design is one set of code that adjusts itself to render correctly (actually it renders how you want it to render) on any size screen, from the smallest cell phones to the largest wide screen monitor. Before I go into any more detail let me show you what I mean. 'Grab' the bottom right corner of your browser window (make sure it isn't maximized). Begin moving it to the left and watch how the layout changes. Drag it all the way over until it is as thin as a small cell phone's screen would be.

Notice how the elements of the page adjust themselves and some items even disappear on smaller screens. Removing non-vital elements for the smallest screens saves on download time and memory usage giving your visitors a quicker load time and a more enjoyable experience. You should also notice the top menu bar changes for smaller screens, becoming a mobile 'touch friendly' style menu.

Why Is This Better Than A Mobile Version Of My Site

Having a mobile version of your website is great but it requires multiple files to accomplish this. When changes need to be made your designer will have to do double the work which of course costs you double the fees. With responsive web design all of this happens with a single code base so updating or changing your site becomes a quick and simple process.

Is There Any Special Software Needed?

90% of responsive web designs are built on what is commonly known as a framework. There are many many frameworks to choose from, all equally as effective. I prefer to work with Foundation as it makes design implementation a snap. The good news is that they are all 100% free and do not require any special server setup software to run them.

One huge advantage of using a framework such as foundation is the amount of time it saves wireframing and implementing your design into the final product. Implementation time is literally cut by 50% or more, saving you money while delivering a wonderful design that all your users will enjoy.

Can Existing Websites Be Converted?

Many existing websites can be converted into a responsive design. The most notable exceptions would be websites that rely heavily on graphics for the layout but even some of them can be tweaked to work in a responsive environment.

Interested in getting a responsive website built, or converting your existing site into a responsive environment? Contact me with your details and I will reply shortly.