As we all know, the layout changes based on the size and capabilities of the device. The use of mobile devices to surf the web is growing at a huge pace, but unfortunately, much of the web is not optimized for those mobile devices. Mobile devices are often constrained by the display size and require a different approach to how content is laid out on the screen. So what does exactly take to have a responsive website design? We have laid down a guide:

Optimizing images

This should be done to adjust according to different devices and connection speeds. Keep in mind that your images will not only need to fit each large screen but will also need to work effectively on each smaller screen. The most popular method for preparing images for a responsive website is to scale those images in code. Setting the “max-width” property to 100%, for example, will scale the image with the screen size, but prevents it from becoming larger than it’s the biggest dimension and forces it to remain within its container. In an effort to solve the inherent problems with scaling images in code, one element of the new markup, the “picture” element, allows developers to declare multiple sources for an image, thereby giving them control over when and if those images are presented to the user. This prevents the browser from downloading images larger than it needs because it is instructed as to which image to download.

Navigational patterns for Mobile UX

The point of UI patterns is to save users time in learning your interface. Sliders, for instance, take advantage of one of the most popular features of mobile devices. If you have only a few elements to go through, sliders are a great navigation tool. With their gesturing controls, they feel natural, as well as fun. At this point, the slide bar is recognizable enough that users know its function, so it’s also a practical choice as well.

Touch-friendly links and buttons

It could have different content, with the links adapting to the device they are being viewed on. The first and most obvious reason for this is the size of the screen itself, the navigation will need to fit in that space without dominating the page unless you intend to. The thumb is larger and less precise than a computer mouse, so your navigation links might need to be larger.

Dynamically resizing fonts

Typography is one of the most important aspects of responsive web design, and optimizing your fonts for mobile devices is an absolute necessity if you want your content to be palatable across all screen sizes. If you take a forward-thinking approach to your designs, the option of assigning rigid pixel values as your font sizes do not seem to be the best choice. Today, devices have different screen sizes, as well as different pixel densities. Serving a one-size-fits-all font size to this huge range of products is contrary to our responsive approach.