What is your mobile strategy?
I've been sitting in on a few design meetings over the pass few weeks, and the one thing I was absolutly looking to hear is how a person or company is approaching mobile when building applications or websites. What I'm hoping to hear is "we don't have one"
At this point a mobile stategy is not a seperate idea, but a part of the whole strategy. A company that spins out mobile as a seperate line item is the same as saying to me, that making a site semantic is an extra cost, or using css is a extra cost. In my mind making a site look it’s best on any device is part of the job and working out the best way to serve your user and within your technical capabilities
The largest trend to hit web applications over the last few years is mobile. I think we are at the tipping point where most companies will have needed to think about an approach to mobile. A few years ago it was almost laughable to think anyone would make a purchase over a mobile device. Today, some 60% and rising, are using smartphones to make those purchases. If a company is not moving on mobile, then they are being left behind.
I think we’ll see more and more interactions happening via mobile devices. I think the depths of those interactions are dependent on how well a company optimizes and implements the mobile experience and mobile strategy. The desktop/laptop would only be used when you can’t get it done on the phone or tablet. If the site or app is being dumbed down for mobile devices, then should it that complicated in the first place?
In a perfect company, there would be no such thing as “not getting it done on the phone or tablet”, because the question becomes “why can’t I”, and immediately the focus moves away from the user and on the product, which is not where any site or app should be.
Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2012 in Business • Design • Featured • Technology