This past week brought a flurry of comments, posts and criticism in the user experience world as well-known web usability guru Jakob Nielsen suggested creating separate mobile-enhanced sites in his AlertBox post Mobile Site vs. Full Site.
Based on usability tests from hundreds of sites, Jakob suggested mobile sites should have:
- Reduced content
- Reduced features
- Larger interface elements
Jakob provided a list of main guidelines for mobile-optimized sites including:
If mobile users arrive at your full site’s URL, auto-redirect them to your mobile site.
Strong Responses
Developers, designers and user experience professionals were quick to react and respond to Jakob’s post (see the list below).
You’ll notice a similar thread in all the responses, all responded negatively to Jakob’s advice and offered other options for providing a better mobile experience.
The last item in the list is a .net Magazine interview with Jakob responding to the criticism.
- Designers Respond to Nielsen on Mobile: One of the first responses published after Jakob’s article, this .net Magazine article highlights several designers and developers criticism of many of Jakob’s recommendations.
- Nielsen Is Wrong on Mobile: Josh Clark responds to Jakob’s post, commenting it is backward. Josh says
I think the real question is how can I do more on mobile?
- Why Jakob Nielsen is Wrong About Mobile Websites: Scott Gilberson recommends using responsive design patterns rather than creating separate mobile sites.
- Nielsen’s Mobile vs. Full Sites: Marko Dugonjić suggests we look more closely at the research results and identify broader challenges with providing a good mobile experience.
- Mobile Site vs. Full Site – Commentary on Jakob Nielsen’s Lightning Rod Post: Grant Baker asks “Where do you draw the line for ‘good enough’?”
- Nielsen Misses the Mark on Mobile: Ben Dillon argues that we’re no longer restricted to an “either or scenario”, rather “responsive design offers a technical solution to this very problem.”
- Reviewing Nielsen’s Defense in .net Point by Point: Kristofer Layon addresses each of Nielsen’s recommendations and agrees with Jakob on one point: mobile optimization is important. Kristofer advocates a responsive and progressive approach toward providing a better mobile experience.
- Nielsen Responds to Mobile Criticism: After the original .net Magazine rebuttal was posted, Jakob Nielsen responds to critics of his post.
