How to Arm Your Site for Every Screen and Every Platform: An Introduction to Responsive Website Design

What is responsive design?

Responsive design is the concept of building a website so that the layout of the site adapts and changes according to the resolution of the user’s browser. In plain English, employing responsive design allows you to build a single site that will look just as good on a monitor that’s 2048 pixels by 1080 pixels as it will on an iPhone that’s 320 pixels by 480 pixels and all browser sizes in between without the need to build a separate dedicated mobile or iPhone-specific version of your website. The best way to get a feel for responsive design is to see it in action, and one of the best examples is the Lancaster University website. If you simply open the site in your desktop browser, you won’t immediately notice anything extraordinary. However, if you slowly adjust the size of your browser window, you’ll begin to see how the design adapts to the width of the window on the fly. The change is more than just a straightforward scaling effect; rather, certain key elements within the design shift and transform according to the resolution of the browser. For example, this is what the website looks at 1024 pixels wide. And this is what the website looks like at 640 pixels wide. As you compare the two, you’ll notice that in the smaller version, the two stats next to logo disappear, allowing the quick links, search bar and logo to fit into the width of the browser and remain usable. Also, the “Find a Course” box and the two information boxes are now displayed alongside “Latest News,” which preserves the usability of the tab-based navigation in the main feature. This is what the website looks like at 480 pixels wide. You’ll now notice that the primary navigation transforms from one row of six links to two rows of three links, which ensures that these links remain large enough to be easily pressed with a finger on a touchscreen phone. The quick links are reshaped into a drop-down-style menu that takes up less real estate on the screen but still allows the user to easily access these important links. The search box moves to the bottom of page, and the “Find a Course” box disappears and is replaced with a link to the course search page. On the main feature, the slider changes from tab-based to next/previous-style navigation.

Why is responsive design important?

As you can see from the Lancaster University example, adapting the layout of the site based on the browser’s resolution ensures that all content is easily accessible no matter where or how a user might be browsing. With the explosive growth in tablets and smartphones, IDC predicts that within the next four years, more people in the U.S. will access the Internet via mobile devices than via desktops or laptops. As a result, it’s important to take steps now to make sure that your website is not only accessible but easy to navigate and use on any device and any screen size in order to keep pace with the ever-changing browsing preferences of your clients and customers.

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Seven New Year's Resolutions to Become Indispensable to Your Customers

In today’s challenging economic landscape, certainties are few and far between. However, one aspect of business growth that will never change is the importance of maintaining strong relationships with your customers and clients. Even as technology evolves at lightning speed, there’s no device or platform that can take the place of the human element. When you invest time and hard work into demonstrating your trustworthiness and providing value beyond compare, your clients will realize that you’re not just another vendor but an integral element of their success. Here are seven new year’s resolutions you should make today to ensure that you’ll be indispensable to your customers in 2012.

1. Be early.

Being on time is good and well. But being early – whether it’s arriving at a meeting a few minutes before it’s scheduled to begin or finishing a project ahead of the deadline – speaks volumes to your customers about where they stand in the order of your priorities.

2. Be prepared.

An impromptu phone conference with your client, an unanticipated sales opportunity, an unforeseen emergency or technical glitch…the rule of business is to expect the unexpected. By staying well organized and on top of your game, you can approach any situation with a sense of self-assuredness that inspires confidence and builds trust.

3. Be agile.

The ability to adapt and evolve is a critical element to maintaining your competitive edge. For example, let’s say your client asks for your help with a project that falls outside your core capabilities. Do you turn them away, or do you draw upon your team’s creativity and technical expertise to provide an innovative solution? No matter your background or past experience, if you can readily adapt to new challenges and respond to new opportunities, you’ll become the go-to resource for your customers whenever a need arises.

4. Be curious.

Being curious goes hand-in-hand with being agile. You should be a perpetual student of your field. By staying on top of the news, trends and ideas that are shaping your industry, you’ll always be ready with an answer or solution when a client needs your help. Developing your own knowledge and skills translates directly to increasing your perceived value to your customers.

5. Be responsible.

How hard is it to simply admit that you’re wrong? Based on the number of celebrities and politicians who issue vehement denial after denial only to get caught red-handed, apparently it’s really tough. But if you can willingly admit your mistakes and take ownership for making them right, you will gain respect as someone who is always dependable and accountable, even when the chips are down.

6. Be creative.

Some say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but in reality, there’s always room for improvement. Don’t let your business get stuck in a rut. Every now and then, allow yourself time to step out of the daily grind and examine the big picture with fresh eyes. Sometimes a break in routine is all that’s needed to discover solutions that will help you and your team serve your customers better, faster and more efficiently.

7. Be humble.

Above all, be humble. All the talent and skills in the world don’t mean jack if you’re a jerk. Be confident in your abilities but realistic in your promises. Work hard without stopping at every milepost along the way to blow your own horn. Deliver consistently and let your record speak for itself. Remember: you’re nothing without your customers. If you put their success first, your own success will be multiplied exponentially by their lasting loyalty.

Here’s to your best year yet.

Certainly, in the world of business there are no guarantees, and sometimes you’ll lose a customer for reasons that are beyond your control. However, there’s no better way to stack the deck in your favor than by honing the skills and traits that make you and your company an invaluable asset to your clients. Commit to these resolutions now, and no matter where you stand today, you’ll be ringing in 2013 with happier customers and a brighter outlook.

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