Responsive Design Forgets That Context is Key

By Jessica Seiler:  

After having recently attended an interactive design conference, I heard a lot about the buzz surrounding responsive web design and how it is going to take over the web, solving the challenge of designing for multiple device screen sizes. Before responsive sites command world dominance, they have some work to do.

A guiding mobile UX principle is “Context is key when designing for mobile.” Responsive design fails to take this important step into full consideration. Sure, you can do a responsive site, take all of the information of your website, allow it to work its magic and shift all content around so that it can fit into the screen of your mobile device. While this may solve the solution visually, it creates a poor user experience by ignoring what the user actually wants to accomplish on mobile.  

Lets look at http://www.parkcitymountain.com/ as an example.  If you were to access this website on your desktop, you are most likely sitting down to plan and book your trip. You may be doing research on which ski resort is best for your family. You will want to see pictures of the slopes, research the lodging and view some videos. The website is laid out nicely for this user experience. I can quickly get to all of these things.

If you were to visit parkcitymountain.com on your mobile device, chances are it’s for a different reason entirely. You are most likely on the go, you may need to contact the resort on your way, or get a map for directions there. If you are headed there for the day you may want to look at snow conditions, get current prices on lift tickets and purchase them before you arrive to avoid the lines. Unfortunately, with Park City Mountain’s site, these tasks become more difficult. There is no map to give me directions that is readily available. I had to scroll all the way to the bottom to find the address and phone number. To get to ticket prices I have to navigate further into the site, and when I get there, the page’s mobile functionality is not even working properly and I have to shift around on my screen or zoom out to see it all.  

These tasks are things that should take precedence on a mobile site. By simply shifting and re-ordering the same exact content, thought is not put into the context of the mobile user experience.  Responsive design might be a visual band aid for the smaller screen size, but it doesn't make the user's job any easier, and isn't that the real goal?