In the previous article of the Responsive strategy series, I’ve looked into what kind or responsive layout approaches are available for product or website, when would a fluid layout or adaptive layout or fixed layout be the best choice.

- Mobile first
A very focused approach that begins with designing for the main function and only then expand the functionalities for higher resolutions (often called progressive enhancement). It’s a good choice if:
- The number of mobile users is already 80% and above or 50%, but the sales are higher on mobile
- The experience needs to be optimized for mobile and merely functional on desktop
- The website/interface has only a few core features
- The type of service/product is rather interactive (entertainment, life-style, networking, news etc.)
- Desktop first
This means designing for the highest specifications – the best achievable – and then going down to smaller resolutions (often called graceful degradation). It’s a good choice if:
- Visitor numbers and sales are higher on desktop
- The website/interface is feature-rich, e.g. productivity, office or business tool
- The experience needs to be highly refined on desktop and merely functional on mobile
- The time and budget are limited, but patches are required for the existing product
- Element first
This approach is often referred as atomic design applied with a responsive mindset, and it enables the individual preparation of the interface elements so they behave responsively regardless of the layout. It’s a good choice if:
- The number of hits is close to equal on mobile and desktop or there are no initial user statistics
- The website/interface is feature rich and complex and will expand gradually over time
- Sufficient time and budget are available to build a future proof design system
With this Responsive strategy series, I’ve collected the main considerations around how to go about multi-device online presence. Knowing what factors to assess when preparing for a product or website development can save you from changing strategy afterwards, which is an extremely costly move.
Bona Rita 20 January 2025
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts on responsive design, cool, your blog is very good.