Convergence or complication?

Convergence or complication?

The Queen Bee's picture
Tue, 09/15/2009 - 10:42 -- The Queen Bee

I say 'complication'. Let me explain.

As mobile web browsing becomes more and more prevalent, web designers are considering the use of mobile websites more frequently. The big question is, do you simply restyle the same content to accommodate for a smaller browser window with no images, scripts, or multimedia, or do you use entirely different content. I feel quite strongly that you must use entirely different content, as the objectives of visitors on varying devices will in turn vary.

As an example, people sitting in front of dual 24 inch monitors are 'browsing'. They can take their time, research, digest, take notes, add bookmarks, compare, etc. Visitors using their iPhone on the bus need something specific, and they need it now; directions, a phone number, an email address, a price. Bam! No waiting allowed.

As such, given these different objectives, the different "types" of a website should necessarily have different messages.

In the future, we will see more devices, not fewer. The PC will not converge on your wrist, or in your sunglasses, or in your head. You will simply have all of these as options. And, as such, websites will be required to present specific information to each of these devices.

So, my friends, I vote for 'complication' over 'convergence' when predicting the future of websites.