Web Design 2011: Normal No Longer Exists
Monday, January 24th, 2011
Web design has come a long way in the last three years. We’re (hopefully) dropping the idea of dogmatic solutions. We’re starting to realise that we need to think on our feet about business cases and target markets. We know that we have zero control over the viewer’s context and environment.
Some Days I Slap my Forehead
However, some days I just slap my forehead and curl up in a ball because I read something like this great sounding inclusive idea… that in my opinion just doesn’t fly. The tweet (author’s name removed) read:
Your portfolio site adjusts for my mobile browser width, great. But for the love of @Zeldman, give me a link to view your normal site!
That tweet was followed up with a reply to my comment tweet that read:
@nortypig To be fair, one can simply add links at the bottom. Default to mobile, fine, but let me access a full-width browser window then.
Things Worth Thinking About Here
OK the reasons why this all adds two plus two to equal three, in my book.
- A “full width browser screen” is not defined
- Normal no longer exists in web design
- This is a demand for an edge case feature
- There is no longer a place for dogma
A “Full Width Browser” is Not Defined
Given that we design solutions that adjust to the user’s context – mobile, netbook, laptop, 17 inch CRT or 27 inch LCD to name a few – and we accept that their context may be sitting in their office, sitting on their sofa in front of the television or walking around the CBD looking for a certain restaurant… we have to admit we have no control. We have to relinquish this idea that we know what a full width browser could be, or even should be.
