Before I jump into Responsive Web Design, I’m going to ask you, dear readers, to enter the database of information that is your brain. I want you to recall a certain individual I mentioned during the holiday
season, the stressed shopper. They were alone, scared, and desperate to fill the hearts of their loved ones with Christmas delight in the form of beautiful objects. One of the factors I mentioned that added to their stress was poor web design that was not mobile friendly while they were on the go.
The horror! I may sound dramatic, but in 2016, it is a legitimate horror and a business killer. So what’s happening here? Well, they were not using responsive web design, something that has been around in the world wide web for many years, but astonishingly, isn’t fully utilized. This results is those hair pulling websites on a mobile. The ones you are forced to zoom in to see the content, accidentally pushing ten different incorrect commands until you either give up on your task, or denounce the internet forever.
What is Responsive Web Design?
Responsive design refers to device and user adaptability. Jerry Cao describes Responsive Web Design as design that “responds to the user’s viewport, device, or platform. Essentially, it’s a design that can attractively acclimate to any screen resolution.” But it goes further than this. Responsive web design pertains to fluid grids, flexible images and centres around a mobile first approach. Since we don’t seem to be putting down our phones anytime in the near future, it’s remained a successful and relevant strategy.
How does Responsive Design fit into Modern Design Trends?
“But I want my website to be the most beautiful,” you cry to the gods of the internet. “How can I do so if I’m forced to design my website for tiny mobile screens?” The thing is, modern web design trends already correspond with the consideration of the smaller screen. Simplicity is king in modern design. Elegant design examples are everywhere, featuring dynamic typography, scrolling options with a set, attractive background, or Flat Design 2.0 beautifully described in this animation by Ryan Allen. Flat Design features subtle 2-D animations, simple enough to be rendered as SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) with support for interactivity and animation with faster loading times.
