Beyond moble first
3 min read
Morgan Liu
Technical Director
The mobile-first approach revolutionized web design, but today's digital landscape demands more nuanced thinking. With users accessing content across an increasingly diverse range of devices, responsive design must evolve to address context, capability, and continuity of experience.
The Device Spectrum Continuum. Modern responsive design addresses five key device categories: Wearables (200-400px), 2. Mobile devices (375-428px), Tablets (768-1024px), Laptops (1366-1920px).
Connected displays (1920px+). Each category requires distinct content prioritization and interaction patterns. Our recent retail client project showed that 42% of their users began journeys on mobile but completed purchases on desktop highlighting the need for seamless cross-device experiences.
Context-Aware Design Systems. Beyond viewport dimensions, effective responsive design considers:
Usage context (on-the-go vs. stationary)
Input method (touch, mouse, voice, gesture)
Network conditions and data constraints
Ambient lighting and environmental factors
Primary user goals for each context. This approach led us to develop a modular content system for a media client that surfaces different content hierarchies based on time of day, location, and usage patterns.
