How to Develop an Effective Mobile-First Design in 2021?

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As internet developers, we’ve been prepared in shifting our design methodologies and development tactics consistent with mobile users for some time now. One such design paradigm is the mobile-first design, which may be a witness to our commitment to mobile internet users all around the world. A design strategy that begins with mobile users and works around their user experience. This blog takes the mobile-first design into the centre and explores the complexities of mobile-first design development and the way it positively affects our business.

What is a mobile-first design?

Mobile-first design is the practice of initiating the development of a mobile user or a mobile device first. Contributing 52% of the web traffic today, a mobile-first website can help you lift the general engagement and make you visible on the web (on Google). With the beginning of mobile-first indexing, Google has also twisted their algorithm to point out that mobile users are the priority today. Mobile-first design isn’t a difficult task but a series of small development changes that will help your website render perfectly on the mobile with a happy customer. To develop a mobile-first design website, we should adopt some habits and remember a couple of tips to check the application effectively.

How to develop a mobile-first design?

The journey of developing a mobile-first design can be roughly divided into the following phases:

Wireframing

A Wireframe in a mobile-first design is like a map or a plan in the construction of a new building. Wireframe provides an architectural design of how things are going to be. With wireframes in hand, not only technical teams, but everyone associated with the project can understand the high-level view of the app.

While clients and analysts can check whether it fulfils their requirements, developers can understand how the different elements are going to be laid down on to the application. They increase the efficiency of the stakeholders involved because of the clearer objectives.

Use Responsiveness and A Responsive Framework

A responsive framework is an important step in mobile-first design development. A responsive website adjusts itself with the environment in which it is rendered depending on the screen size, platform or orientation. Mobile devices don’t come in fixed sizes in the market. Responsiveness is not just about adjusting to the screen of the device, but also about the user’s experience. 

Follow the thumb rule

Before placing the content on the web page, you need to decide on the placement of every element concerning the interaction habits of mobile users. A simple reason for this thought is that the generic way most people use their phone is with one hand.

Untangle Your Mobile-First Content and style

Designing an internet page desktop-style demands no extra attention to the content. The screen is big and can accommodate whatever content you would like to feature. However, a similar attitude doesn’t work in a mobile-first way. When the screen is smaller and we have only but 3 seconds to impress a user, the content must be concise and to the point. A simple solution to replace tons of content from your screen is to use images, a hierarchical method of design or through a far better interface.

Give priority to UI/UX

A mobile-first design must revolve around mobile users to increase engagements and conversions on our web application. While animations and transitions are considered good, the user experience is far more than these explicit elements. Our user experience needn’t be too sensational but should engage the users without them realising our intentions. For example, the elements on a web page should be extremely easy to seek out. A mobile user should never struggle to seek out the search button as the conventional locations of this case like a navigation bar is usually expected to be within the corner (left or right).

CTA Placement

CTA is a crucial button. It helps in conversion goals and every brand wants its users to click that button and increase their conversion rate. Hence, it requires extra special attention from the team members. The placement of the CTA is the very first thing that ought to be finalised, carefully reminding yourself to not let our users work too hard.

Summing Up

A mobile-responsive design strategy is often considered similar to a mobile-first design since to create a mobile-first design, the web page/app must be responsive. The mobile-responsive design strategy was a good strategy when mobile users had just begun to increase. Today, there are extensive researches on mobile designs which state that a mobile-responsive design strategy is not enough to survive. To cater to the requirements of 4.2 billion mobile internet users, we need to move to a mobile-first design.