Datasheet

FUTURE-PROOF WEB DESIGN
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a  nal showdown with the “big bad.” In the show, overcoming each challenge on the path
to winning the war wasn’t a matter of luck or charging in blindly; it involved careful plan-
ning and research.
Because each user and situation is di erent depending on the type of site being built, you
must carefully consider any implementation that enhances or degrades a user’s experi-
ence. You need to establish primary goals to ensure that decisions are made for the right
reasons. Perhaps your site will require visitors to enter some log-in details, but remember
that input mechanisms can vary among web devices. Maybe a visitor will browse while on
the move.  ese kinds of situations can trigger and a ect the many variables you must
consider.
 e following situations a ect speci c factors or variables:
> HD video is a ected by bandwidth and connection speeds.
> Color is eliminated if a visitor has a monochrome display.
> Mouse precision and accuracy are a ected by click regions.
During the brainstorming stage, establishing where and how a site might be used is a
great idea. Sites that compare prices of products are likely to be in heavy demand while
visitors are on the move — for example, traveling on primary business streets and in
shopping malls.  e use of sites like the Internet Movie Database require speci c consid-
eration because they may be used in collaboration with cinemas, rental shops, and media
retailers. Creating scenarios or pro les of these actions help you gauge targeted markets,
although, of course, users browse in other kinds of situations, too.
 e trick is to determine which in uences and variables will a ect your users; what those
e ects will be; how you can ensure that the interface will cater to your speci c audience
without negatively a ecting others; and how to implement required changes in the most
suitable way. Making these determinations requires a fundamental understanding of how
human-computer interactions work and of the subtleties of users’ devices. For example, a
smartphone may be subjected to data caps and roaming charges, and an old desktop com-
puter may have a slow or low-quality connection (see Figure 1-5). Goals must always be
identi ed within the context of acceptable methods of interaction.
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