5 Problems With Responsive Web Design

With the growth of mobile browsing, web designers are looking for ways to create sites that can easily be viewed on a variety of devices. Responsive web design is meant to simplify this by allowing webmasters to create one layout that adapts to each user’s interface. However, like with any new concept, successful implementation isn’t without its challenges.

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Image Resizing
Since responsive designs are meant to adapt to each user’s device, images must be resized to fit a variety of screens. This requires all devices to download the full image before it will display, which may take more time than a user is willing to wait. Resizing to small screens may also result in images that are hard to see or read. On the other hand, larger screens might stretch images until they look blurred or pixelated.

Site Load Speed
With full-size images to download, responsive sites may lag during load time. Scripting can also be an issue. Not all devices use JavaScript or certain types of HTML. However, this unusable code is still downloaded when the site comes up. This can make for less than optimal load times depending on what scripts a site design uses.

Ease of Navigation
Responsive designs are meant primarily for mobile devices, meaning navigation must be optimized for a fingertip or stylus. Instead of clicking on links, most users are tapping or swiping to get where they want to go. The navigation in an adaptive interface needs to fit on the screen but still be intuitive.

CSS Media Query Compatibility
In order to “know” what kind of device a user is accessing a site with, responsive designs use a piece of code called a CSS media query. This tells the site which existing style sheets to use. However, not all mobile devices are currently compatible with this type of coding, meaning that sites won’t always display properly.

Complexity of Testing
With static websites, a designer only has to test site layouts with a handful of browsers and screen resolutions. Responsive designs, on the other hand, should ideally be tested on as many devices as possible. This can be both difficult and expensive unless designers have personal access to various Smartphones and tablets. Even then, it’s not possible to test on every existing device, especially since new technology keeps appearing all the time.

Responsive web design solves the problem of trying to create websites that are compatible with the many mobile devices in use today. Though there are a few design hurdles that need to be overcome, dedicated webmasters can create attractive, functional sites that any user can access no matter where they are.

Jen Jones is a blogger whol loves all things digital and writes a lot on UK web design and its standards.  If you would like to read more of her work head over to Webblogger.co.uk.