I remember sitting with my son watching The Jetsons on Cartoon Network in the 90s, and wondering: “Oh wow! When will we get these cool gadgets in reality?” Cut to the present day and I’m glad to see that we’ve made quite impressive developments. Today, Smart-phones and Tablets are abound and Web surfing on these devices is expected to overtake that of the desktop computers by 2015.
Leaving this aside, we are also getting more and more comfortable with the idea of wearing technology rather than just holding it. Wearable technology in forms of
Wearable Technology and Web Design
Modern web visitors have started depending highly on mobile devices when it comes to surfing the Web. They no longer have to sit in front of a desktop computer or carry around a heavy laptop with them. All they have to do is carry a mobile device in their pockets and enjoy the pleasures of surfing on the go.
However, the arrival of wearable technology means that the constant urge of modern web visitors to demand more simplified versions of Web browsing is soon going to get amplified. Instead of mobile devices, they will start preferring eyeglasses and wrist-gears to access the Internet. And this means that modern websites, just like they have adapted to mobile technology, will have to up their game a few notches further to fit in with wearable technology.
What Web Designers Should Start Considering?
So what should web designers do now? Well, things are the same for them when mobile technology was in its puberty – “preparation is the key to success”. In coming years, wearable devices will start making it real big, and websites designed keeping these devices in mind will stand on a higher ground.
Without further ado, let us take a look at some of the considerations web designers should give a serious thought to:
#1. Responsive Design – Improved Browsing
A lot is still being talked about the direct relation between responsive design and enhanced UX, but I still find numerous websites throwing away ‘responsive techniques’ to the sidelines. It’s evident that visitors keep coming back to them only for their respective brand values; but patience has a limit and this steady traffic will soon cease to exist. Why should you take chances? Start applying responsive techniques to your website… and this should be done not only for small mobile screens but also for smaller screens of wearable devices.
#2. Instant Information – Wearers are Happy
With mobile Internet, modern web visitors have become an impatient lot. As they are always on the go, they need information delivered instantly and with a lightning speed. And it’s evident that with wearable technology, they would want everything at a lot faster rate than what they are getting now in their mobile devices. So it’s important to pin-point the exact needs of visitors, and strip away the unwanted elements to make sure that website speed is not compromised.
#3. Larger Texts – Easier to Read
Try reading an e-book while sitting quite far away from your laptop. I can guarantee that your chance of succeeding is close to zero. And if the textual content of a desktop website is not mobile-optimized, then its size will diminish when viewed from a mobile device. Now imagine what will happen when your website is viewed using an even smaller medium? So, web designers should make sure to use larger texts to make readability easier and simpler.
#4. Interactive Design – Keeping the Interest Alive
Websites that are going with being static have very limited scope in the future when people will use wearable devices to access the Web. Therefore, web designers need to design dynamic websites which focus on interactivity. A virtual canvas where visitors can navigate using their hands, heads or fingers is something a web designer must thrive to achieve now.
As I’ve pointed out earlier, viewing websites using wearable devices is still at a nascent stage. So this is the perfect time for web designers to step out-of-the-box and create something that is truly future-proof.
Images: “Male finger taps messenger icon on blue smart watch/ Shutterstock.com“
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