Developer Blog |
Appway believes that responsive design is the future of the web, with screen components designed to help you provide a seamless, consistent experience across devices. It does not make sense to invest months on pixel-perfect designs that target one particular screen size, in one particular browser, on one particular operating system – yet look scruffy in all other environments.
In Appway, the Grid Layout, Adaptive Flow Layout and Border Layout Manager are just a couple of the responsive screen components available to help you ensure your apps work anywhere and everywhere.
But what is responsive design and why is it even an issue?
Responsive design refers to websites designed to adjust to various screen sizes, screen resolutions, and device types, eliminating the need for separately designed and implemented 'desktop' and 'mobile' versions of an app. This allows you to deliver a consistent experience for users who, as an Inc.com article reminds us, "are browsing across multiple devices. Instead of having them zoom excessively or pinch their screens…you're giving them an easier-to-absorb website." It's worth mentioning that consistency is key: If the user experience "isn't consistent across channels, users will question the organization's credibility." (Nielsen Norman Group, 2013).
Using responsive design means you only need implement your apps once. Your users only need to learn how to use it once; they can then apply that knowledge across multiple devices, in an app that looks right on each of these devices.
Responsive design is increasing in importance thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and tablets – desktop and laptop computers are no longer the only way many people access information. And, as Richard Absalom, an analyst at Ovum, notes, "Trying to stand in the path of consumerised mobility is likely to be a damaging and futile exercise."
User Experience
W3C's 'One Web' recommendations state that "while services may be most appropriately experienced in one context or another, it is considered best practice to provide as reasonable experience as is possible given device limitations and not to exclude access from any particular class of device, except where this is necessary."
We believe that instead of pixel-perfect control over each and every element on a screen, you should concentrate on designing user interactions: Screens should contain the logic of what should be displayed, and leave Appway to dynamically change the visual design based on the device the Screen is shown on.
The idea is neither to design mobile first, nor to design desktop first. The idea is to design Business Logic first, and let Appway make sure that it works well on all devices. This saves you time and money when creating an app in Appway, allows employees to work whenever and wherever they want, and provides a clear path forward — your app doesn’t only support current devices, but future devices as well.
What's your take on responsive design and user experience?
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Image courtesy Arne Kuilman / Flickr
In Appway, the Grid Layout, Adaptive Flow Layout and Border Layout Manager are just a couple of the responsive screen components available to help you ensure your apps work anywhere and everywhere.
But what is responsive design and why is it even an issue?
Responsive design refers to websites designed to adjust to various screen sizes, screen resolutions, and device types, eliminating the need for separately designed and implemented 'desktop' and 'mobile' versions of an app. This allows you to deliver a consistent experience for users who, as an Inc.com article reminds us, "are browsing across multiple devices. Instead of having them zoom excessively or pinch their screens…you're giving them an easier-to-absorb website." It's worth mentioning that consistency is key: If the user experience "isn't consistent across channels, users will question the organization's credibility." (Nielsen Norman Group, 2013).
Using responsive design means you only need implement your apps once. Your users only need to learn how to use it once; they can then apply that knowledge across multiple devices, in an app that looks right on each of these devices.
Responsive design is increasing in importance thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and tablets – desktop and laptop computers are no longer the only way many people access information. And, as Richard Absalom, an analyst at Ovum, notes, "Trying to stand in the path of consumerised mobility is likely to be a damaging and futile exercise."
User Experience
W3C's 'One Web' recommendations state that "while services may be most appropriately experienced in one context or another, it is considered best practice to provide as reasonable experience as is possible given device limitations and not to exclude access from any particular class of device, except where this is necessary."
We believe that instead of pixel-perfect control over each and every element on a screen, you should concentrate on designing user interactions: Screens should contain the logic of what should be displayed, and leave Appway to dynamically change the visual design based on the device the Screen is shown on.
The idea is neither to design mobile first, nor to design desktop first. The idea is to design Business Logic first, and let Appway make sure that it works well on all devices. This saves you time and money when creating an app in Appway, allows employees to work whenever and wherever they want, and provides a clear path forward — your app doesn’t only support current devices, but future devices as well.
What's your take on responsive design and user experience?
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Image courtesy Arne Kuilman / Flickr
Comments (3)
Developer is transitioning to Appway Community
The next step in the transition to community.appway.com is here! As of April 2017, the Community Blog is exclusively available via community.appway.com. The Blog joins the Forum and our Support system, which already moved to their new home in 2016.
Our written material (recipes and documentation) is currently being migrated, and is available in beta on community.appway.com at Support > Knowledge Base.
All information for Appway 6.3 and below is still available here on developer.appway.com while this migration takes place.
Note: Material relevant for Appway 7 will only be available in the Knowledge Base on community.appway.com
Any questions or feedback? Please contact community@appway.com
Our written material (recipes and documentation) is currently being migrated, and is available in beta on community.appway.com at Support > Knowledge Base.
All information for Appway 6.3 and below is still available here on developer.appway.com while this migration takes place.
Note: Material relevant for Appway 7 will only be available in the Knowledge Base on community.appway.comAny questions or feedback? Please contact community@appway.com