As the line between print and digital publishing continues to blur, “responsive design” or “adaptive layout” are terms we hear more and more frequently. If you haven’t taken the time yet to learn and understand what this means – it’s time to start paying attention – responsive design will be knocking on your door soon.
In the early phases of transitioning print content to digital, publishers have had to deal with the process of moving print content to the web. Some have chosen, and continue to choose, to approach this process manually, without content standards, legacy content or future use of content in mind. Others have more thoroughly structured and added value to their content, and while it may have been costly, it’s been an investment in what can be done with that content now, and going forward.
Most recently, publishers have been faced with moving their content to digital channels, with a focus on the tablet space (and more specifically, the iPad). While delivering content to one type of device can be challenging, moving it to a handful of different devices, including mobile, often presents an array of obstacles, making manual methods cost prohibitive.
Enter responsive design, a method for preparing content that has been charted by web sites that also applies to other viewing platforms. Adopting responsive design for content generation and delivery will challenge traditional content processes. Publishers that are willing to challenge the status quo, to reorganize content creation groups and their processes differently will be the first to find success (and likely some pain) early in the game.
Here are some recent articles and resources on responsive design to help you get your feet wet (we’re in a summer state of mind):
- “Do Mobile and Desktop Interfaces Belong Together”, by Smashing Magazine’s Mike Sierra, explains the basics of responsive design and how it can be applied in various situations, citing some great examples. It gets a bit geeky as you go deeper, but remember, you are getting your feet wet.
- Also with Smashing Magazine, see “Is There Ever a Justification For Responsive Text”, by James Young.
- For a lighter intro, try “Hey Dummy: This Is What Responsive Design Means” from Fast Company’s Cliff Kuang. He refers to a fun and simple example created by Thismanslife.
- Looking to take a deeper dive? Check out Ethan Marcotte’s article on responsive design on A List Apart.
- How about a take-you-away summer read (ok, maybe that’s pushing it)? A Book Apart offers some interesting books on responsive design and other related topics.
We’ll be covering more about responsive design at it moves to the forefront of hot topics going forward. Stay cool and enjoy your summer!
Posted by: Margot Knorr Mancini
