Beyond Responsive

Responsive web design has taken our industry by storm and with good reason: it helps us improve our reach with less effort. But incorporating responsive design is not the goal, meeting our user’s needs is. Responsive design is not an end in itself… it’s just the beginning.

We need to embrace the heterogenous nature of the web—myriad web-enabled devices with vastly different dimensions, screen sizes, networks, and capabilities in use by countless individuals, each with their own special needs—and craft experiences that will work anywhere at any time. We need to build robust systems that adapt in ways far beyond aesthetics.

During the workshop

Aaron Gustafson will open this workshop with a discussion of a number of considerations that we should be aware of, beyond screen size and pixel density, and provide examples of how to adapt our interfaces so they rise to meet our customers’ needs. Then he’ll turn it over to you to propose gnarly design and/or interface challenges you are struggling with. Once everyone’s challenges are collected, attendees will be given the opportunity to form small groups around each and you will spend a portion of the day working on solutions while Aaron mentors each group and pushes you to think more about accessibility, alternate interaction methods, slow networks, and other considerations.

The workshop will wrap up with brief presentations from each group followed by a an open question and answer session.

This workshop will cover

• The difference between support and optimization when it comes to browsers, platforms, and devices;
• Experience as a continuum from universally accessible to wholly interactive;
• How to author markup, styles, and JavaScript that offer enhanced functionality without sidelining less capable/older platforms; and
• Any questions you bring with you.

Required equipment and knowledge

You don't need hands-on experience with front-end coding techniques, but you should come prepared to sketch and problem-solve. And if you have a particular interface you are struggling with or want a new perspective on, bring that so we can work through it together.

When is the workshop taking place?

This workshop is taking place on Wednesday 21st. It is taking place at Codecentric, Kölner Landstr. 11, 40591 Düsseldorf