Smart Devices Are Driving Online Design Changes
We are entering a new era of web design and user interface that is being driven by the function of smart devices. The desktop computer is no longer the primary tool for web surfers. Flexible, simple, user-friendly interfaces are needed for phones, tablets and more.
User Experience Will Dominate
Desktop design needs to yield to mobile only interfaces. Google is already giving preference to mobile-optimized sites, even if the majority of traffic is not yet from mobile devices. Simplicity is the key to keep things easy to load on mobile.
Speed Will Get Even Harder to Ignore
Page loading speed is already a factor in search rank and who will wait around to actually access your content. Yet, speed is hard to “fix” and is a factor many site developers choose to ignore.
Speed issues aren’t going to go away, however. Designers will have to keep the page load time as fast as possible in order to provide time for device communication and data sharing.
More Devices to Come
User interfaces will need to easily communicate with other smart devices. We already see commercials about controlling home systems and car locks with cell phones. These types of use cases will only increase.
Security Matters
Security is becoming a primary consideration as mobile devices get hacked. Known vulnerabilities need to be avoided and changes made as new issues surface. No one will use a site that is not perceived to be safe.
