Often the mobile experience for a web application or site is created after the desktop version is released.
With a mobile first viewpoint, we start by loading the absolute bare essentials on the smaller platforms. This leads to a snappier experience that avoids unnecessary lag. The additional resources are loaded strictly on an as-neeeded basis to platforms that can handle them well.

“I think it’s now the joint project of all of us to make mobile the answer to pretty much everything”. Eric Schmidt

Here are 3 reasons why web applications should be designed for mobile first:

1. Mobile is fast-growing!
- Heavy mobile data users are projected to triple to one billion by 2013. (source)
– Mobile internet adoption has outpaced desktop internet adoption by eight times. (source)
– Smartphone sales will surpass worldwide PC sales by the end of 2011 . (source)
– Over half of Android and iPhone users spend more than 30 minutes per day using mobile applications. (source)

2. Mobile forces to focus!
when a team designs mobile first, the end result is an experience focused on the key tasks users want to accomplish without the extraneous detours and general interface debris that litter today’s desktop-accessed Web sites. That’s good user experience and good for business.

3. Mobile extends your capabilities!
Location information, multi-touch, device positioning, user generated content and more – Mobile application platforms are introducing more exciting capabilities

There are many values of sketch ideation on paper. It not only saves much time and digital effort but also is one of the most useful communication tools when thinking through interface designs.

1. Brainstorming
As a communication tool amongst team members, sketching is a quick way to brainstorm on the fly and work through use-case scenarios.

2. Communicating
Sketching out interfaces is useful as a communication tool amongst team members. Presenting a strategy or functionality to visual design or technical is much less intimidating in the form of a sketch as opposed to a formal deliverable. This is very useful when designs need to be tweaked for minor improvements.

3. Storyboarding
Interactions are hard to sketch, however, main states of interfaces can easily be represented on sketches and presented as a storyboard.

4. A pre-final-wireframe
Sketch wireframes alleviates the need to go back and retrofit digital wireframes, which is not only costly but also not very exciting. Start wire framing initially with sketches. Once a final sketch is prepped it will serve well as a compelling piece to digitize.

5. Client discussions
Effectively communicating ideas to clients doesn’t always have to be a long slick presentation. Sometimes it is the simple piece of paper as the main discussion point that will get your point across.