Only the most recent devices support browsers that can handle PC sites directly, so audience reach is limited and users still need to zoom and scroll excessively to find the information they need. Usability can also be a real challenge, particularly on touchscreen devices where trying to select a specific menu link within a list can be a real hit-and-miss affair.

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Transcoders, at first sight, are very appealing as they promise to automatically reformat PC sites for mobile. However, they also tend to be very generic, “black box,” solutions for adapting sites or require page specific rules to be maintained in parallel with the original site. This can result in a fragile integration and/or involve a significant additional effort to maintain. Secure sites are also an issue, as the transcoder, by necessity, must break the secure connection between the device and site to transform the content.

More fundamentally, many operators are deploying transcoding solutions within their data centers, which is great when connecting over the mobile network. Yet when users connect over Wi-Fi, the mobile network and transcoding service is completely bypassed. The “do nothing” approach of using a smart browser or transcoder also does not provide any means to integrate mobile-specific functions such as location awareness, messaging, or calling. The focus here is on mapping the PC experience onto mobile.

The key to building a compelling and manageable mobile site is to adopt a strategy that allows the overall design, function, and content of the site to be managed independently from the device-specific adaptation and optimizations.

By separating site creation from device optimization, developers can focus on those aspects that are relevant to mobile users and how the site integrates with location services, messaging, and click-to-call features. If a device does not support all of these functions, then the user experience falls back gracefully, and automatically, to the best available on that device. Support for new devices is also automatic, as the technology optimizes the site according the capabilities of the new device.

This approach may sound too good to be true, but several solutions available on the market already do this. These include the free Ubik.com service and the open-source Volantis Mobility Server platform. Both solutions allow developers to focus on the business and usability aspects of their sites, while letting the technology deal with the low-level device details and ensuring support for new devices.

With these tools, offering a compelling mobile experience that delivers exactly what the consumer wants needn’t be rocket science. However, there are a few hints and tips on what to consider when designing a successful mobile site: understand your users, keep it simple and intuitive, make it personal, cater to each device’s capabilities, and adapt for each device.

Understand Your Users

The first step in designing a mobile site is to understand when and why someone would use your site on a mobile. If you already provide a PC site, then the chances are the same users will try your mobile site. Which aspects of the PC service are relevant to mobile and when are people likely to need the information you offer? It is highly unlikely that the pages under “About Us” or archived press releases are going to be high on the agenda for most mobile users.

Do you offer time-critical information, such as timetables, stock reports, weather reports, sports results, or news? If so, this information should be presented upfront on the first screen and displayed or accessible with a single click. If it’s buried behind layers of menus, or requires users to scroll, chances are they’ll give up and try elsewhere. If the main purpose is simply to provide a telephone number, then ensure it’s on screen one and not under a “Contact Us” menu.