A Guide to Mobile Web Design and Development

2012 was the year of the web while 2013 will be the year of the mobile. Mobile optimization is not a choice but a must have for businesses.This article discusses three books that will help you learn how to design and develop websites for mobile.

3 Fantastic Books That Will Help You Design and Develop Mobile Friendly Websites

The enthusiastic user acceptance of mobile technology has posed tremendous challenges for website designers. User experience forms an integral part of any mobile design. The number of people using mobiles to access the web is increasing exponentially. An ideal mobile design must be easily scalable and adaptable for various mobile platforms.

On one hand, traditional website owners lack knowledge of mobile web development, while on the other hand, a new breed of small businesses is paying exclusive attention to bank on the commercial aspect of mobile websites. At a time like this, designers who have a thorough understanding of how to build mobile websites, or convert existing websites into mobile-friendly websites, can provide much-needed services to businesses around the world.
Mobile website designing and development requires a different approach, and even seasoned designers need to work hard to keep up with all the changes in the field. Here are three superb books that will help professional designers and aspiring designers to create effective mobile websites.

1. Mobile Design and Development
Written by Brian Fling this is the perfect book for web designers, developers, information architects, content publishers and entrepreneurs who are new to the world of mobile websites and mobile apps. It begins with a lucid explanation on how the mobile ecosystem functions, and offers a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of building website or web apps instead of native mobile apps. Thereafter, it shows how you can build mobile websites or web apps using cross-platform technologies, practices and standards.

2. The Mobile Book
Published by Smashing Magazine, this is one of the most insightful and informative books on designing for mobile devices. The book explores the future of mobile web design, lists down the best practices for mobile designing, and gives solutions for different problems running a website on different mobile devices. Written by industry experts, the book offers a perfect balance between basic of designing and futuristic design ideas.

3. Mobile Web Development
Written by Nirav Mehta, this book gives practical tips and guidance to people who are building websites for mobiles. In addition to showing how to build mobile-friendly web apps and websites, it shows how to adapt the presentation to different browsers and devices. It also shows how to include features like voice input, SMS payments, etc., to the application. By providing a quick overview of Android and iPhone, it also shows how to develop web apps and sites that do not get outdated quickly.
Mobile Websites are the Future
No matter how worthy a brand is, a poor mobile website will discourage its users. Dependable statistics suggest that mobile searches will outnumber desktop searches by 2015. Needless to say,in a situation like this, mobile websites can effectively make or break a brand.
Mobile optimization is a key feature for any business that wishes to cut through the competition. Businesses need not spend heavily in mobile optimization. Even simple mobile-optimized websites can bring in more traffic, lead to increased ROIs through increased purchases, reach a wider audience and provide engaging user experience.