Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Using Websites on Mobile Devices....a "cringeworthy" experience?

I read an article recently which described usability test participant attempts at using websites on their mobile phones as a cringeworthy experience. The article and others I have read, compare mobile content issues to accessibility issues for users with disabilities.

Although it is possible to develop content that is usable from both a pc/desktop and a mobile phone, the reality is that without specific tagging to identify "mobile" or "web" use, the output becomes an exercise in frustration for even the most savy users. Further to that, organizations who want to publish to mobile phones need to understand that at least two mobile versions; a high end smartphone or full-screen phone and a low end cellphone version is required. Again tagging of information during creation based on an overall information architecture is a cure for the even the largest cringeworthy experience.