Poll Results: Mobile Web Design Responsibility

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Chris Coyier on (Updated on )

In early 2008, I asked the question:

What is your opinion as to the web designers role in mobile design?

The two choices were:

  • It is my job to make sure the website looks and functions well on mobile devices.
  • It is the mobile device’s job to make sure my website looks and functions well.

Back then, 55% thought it was the mobile devices job. The vibe was more “I’m just gonna keep building websites how I have been and these new devices can handle making them work.”

In April 2013, I started the exact same poll again. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 55% majority position has shrunk to just 21% of people. The other 79% consider it there job to build websites that look and function well on mobile devices.

I forced people to choose one or the other to get a sense for where the majority of the responsibility lies, but I’m sure most of us agree that there is shared responsibility. Mobile devices need to support standards and should do all they can do to make the web experience great. But the polls are showing (and I agree) that ultimately the responsibility lies on the people making websites to make them work wherever they are used.