Danny Freeman & Simon Asplin
Project Managers
Managing Responsive Projects
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Agenda
• What is a Responsive Project?
• Why go Responsive?
• When to go Responsive?
• Myths of Mobile Content
• Project Phases
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
What is a Responsive Project?
• Web pages that respond to screen
widths
• Delivers quality experience to desktop
computers, laptops, tablets, mobile
phones and now internet on your TV
• Using new CSS techniques, fluid grids,
flexible images and media queries
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
What is a Responsive Project?
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Why go Responsive?
• High level of continuity between
different devices
• Same URLs for every device
• Not tied to specific devices
• The proliferation of smart phones and
tablets
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
PC vs Mobile
Source: comScore (02/13)
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Where are people using mobile
devices? • 84% at home
• 80% during miscellaneous downtime throughout the day
• 76% while queuing / waiting for appointments
• 69% while shopping
• 64% at work
• 62% while watching TV (alt. study claims 84%)
• 47% during commute into work Luke Wroblewski. "Mobile Context Revisited." http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?1333
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Why go Responsive?
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
When to go Responsive?
• Difficult to retro-fit an existing design,
may be best to start from scratch
• Most appropriate when continuity
between different devices is a priority
for target audience
• Responsive design does not constitute
a mobile strategy
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Myths of Mobile Content
• Mobile users are always distracted, in a
rush
• Mobile users really only need location
information.
• Mobile users wouldn’t be interested in
XYZ.
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Project Phases
• Research and Strategy
• User Experience Planning
• Design
• Development
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Project Phases - Waterfall
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Project Phases – Agile
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Research & Strategy
• Focus Groups
• Stakeholder Interviews
• Audience Interviews
• Site Audits
• MoSCoW / Timeline workshops
• Baseline Usability Tests
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Things to consider
• The device does not necessarily imply a
context (stationary or mobile).
• There is a misconception that mobile
users want different things from your
website than desktop users do.
• Responsive design offers a high level of
continuity between different devices.
• You only need to develop, manage and
maintain one site and one content silo.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
User Experience Planning
• Small screen sizes forces you to
prioritise.
• Slow connections and limited data
plans require you to be vigilant about
performance.
• Small touch targets lead to BIG
problems
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Design
• Discuss and test the developers’
design recommendations.
• Review, design, build and repeat.
• This closes the gap between traditional
“design” and “development” cycles.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Development
• Developers act as UX designers.
• Close the communication gap across
the project team.
• Communicate to stakeholders how the
responsive design will work.
• Design within the constraints of the real
medium.
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Testing…
• Real or virtual devices?
• What devices to support?
• Tools & devices
• Ektron V9
• Android emulator
• iOS emulator
• W3C MobileOK Checker
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Testing…
• Testing and test preparations
• Orientation
• Touch
• Error reporting
• Regressions
• Budget – QA time should not be skimped
on!
• Collaborate with different teams and
work together to meet compromises
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Implications for the Project
• Responsive design takes 20-30% longer
than a desktop-only site
• Reduces ongoing maintenance costs
compared to a stand-alone mobile site
• Major milestones are unchanged, but a
few new minor milestones are added
• Bulk of time increase will be in
development and testing
Copyright © 2013 Ektron, Inc.
Implications for the PM
• Change makes people uncomfortable.
• UX and Design teams may feel out of control.
• Developers may feel overwhelmed by increased responsibilities.
• Requires a high degree of trust.
• The PMs role is to encourage, support, and promote conversation.
Danny Freeman & Simon Asplin
Project Managers
Questions
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