A Step-by-Step Guide to Designing a Mobile-Responsive Version of a Desktop Website
With the majority of internet users browsing the web on mobile devices, it's crucial for web designers to create mobile-responsive versions of desktop websites. A mobile-responsive website adapts to different screen sizes, ensuring that users can access and navigate the site easily on any device. In this blog post, we'll take a step-by-step approach to designing a mobile-responsive version of a desktop website.
Before designing the mobile-responsive version of a desktop website, it's important to conduct research and plan the design accordingly. This includes identifying the website's target audience, analyzing user behavior, and studying the website's existing design. By understanding how users interact with the website and what elements are crucial to the design, you can plan an effective mobile-responsive version.
To begin designing the mobile-responsive version, start by duplicating the desktop view and setting the width to "fixed." This ensures that the design elements remain the same as the desktop view.
Once the desktop view is duplicated, the next step is to resize the width to the size of the mobile view. This allows you to see how the website will appear on different mobile devices. It's important to keep in mind that mobile devices have smaller screens, so the design should be optimised accordingly.
With the width resized, it's time to prioritise and simplify the design elements. The design should focus on the essential elements, and the unnecessary elements should be removed or simplified. This ensures that the website is easy to navigate and the users can quickly find the information they need.
Once the design elements are simplified, it's time to adjust the designs inside to "fill container." This means that the elements should be scaled proportionally and fill the available space. This ensures that the website looks visually appealing and the elements are easy to read on mobile devices.
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Finally, adjust the font sizes of the website's elements, especially headers that appear too large. This ensures that the website is easy to read on mobile devices, and the users can quickly find the information they need.
It's worth noting that designing mobile-responsive websites requires attention to detail and careful consideration of how the website's elements will appear on different screen sizes. As a web designer, I always design with responsiveness in mind. This means that the design is optimised for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices from the start. I also assume that I am working with autolayout to ensure that the website's design adapts to different screen sizes.
Designing a mobile-responsive version of a desktop website is crucial to ensure that users can access and navigate the site easily on any device. By following these six steps, you can design a mobile-responsive version of a desktop website that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and optimised for mobile devices. Remember to prioritise the essential elements, simplify the design, and adjust the font sizes to ensure that the website is easy to read on mobile devices. With these tips and techniques, you can create a mobile-responsive website that engages users and keeps them coming back.