By January 2013 (yes, next month) it is predicted that over a quarter of all web content will be consumed via mobile. Therefore, institutions that want to keep their content afloat in this storm of adoption should advance with a mobile strategy.
One component of a mobile strategy that we would like to highlight is responsive website design, also referred to as “adaptive web design.” Responsive web design is defined as “an approach to web design in which a site is crafted to provide an optimal viewing experience — easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning and scrolling — across a wide range of devices (from desktop computers to tablets to mobile phones).”
Looking to see responsive website design in action? In our recent website redesign, we used responsive web design to ensure that all our viewers could enjoy our content. Take a moment to resize your browser and see how our website will adapt to different sizes.
The University of Chicago Using Responsive Design
In an insightful HigherEdWeb presentation named Developing a Progressive Mobile Strategy Dave Olsen of West Virginia University calls on institutions to place a strong emphasis on responsive web design, but not in lieu of developing a mobile site, nor a mobile app. Dave’s strategy explains that mobile should be able to address different audiences, the platforms they use and also make it easy to publish content only once.
By observing alumni websites of schools from US News & World Report’s “ Best Liberal Arts Colleges” we encountered only a few that have made the transition to responsive friendly. Below is a list of 11 institutions that have made the transition.
Test these alumni websites with a responsive design in your browser and let us know which examples are your favorites!
Are you looking to modernize the way you engage with your alumni? We’ve got you covered.