Mobile First talks

Mobile first is an approach in which a product is designed for small screens and mobile contexts before it is expanded to larger screens. Starting with the constraints of a phone, such as limited space, touch input and variable connections, forces a team to decide what really matters and to put core content and actions first.

The approach matters for UI, UX and product design because mobile is often the main way people reach a product. Designing desktop first and squeezing it down afterwards tends to produce cluttered, slow experiences. Mobile first also encourages progressive enhancement: build a solid base, then add features as screen size and device capabilities allow.

The three talks here run from 2012 to 2016. Luke Wroblewski presents “Mobile First” at An Event Apart in 2012 and also gives “Mobile To The Future”. Andrea Krajewski’s “Bye, Bye Screen” at beyond tellerrand in 2016 looks beyond the screen, with the talk tagged with mobile user experience and no-screen design. This is a sub-topic of mobile.