Abstract
The focus of this thesis is to gain an understanding of how to establish design heuristics for the design approach called 'Responsive Web Design', which focuses on providing the best possible user experience across a wide variety of devices and screen displays. The objective of the thesis is to understand what the characteristics of responsive web design are and how it resembles and distinguishes from other existing web approaches, while at the same time examining which of the existing heuristics responsive web design has implemented. In addition, comprehend the impact on how responsive web design affects users.
This is examined through the establishment of a theoretical framework, followed by an analysis of several similar web design approaches and an empirical case analysis, which consist of two independent responsive websites where the focus was to find similar correlations and patterns between the two samples.
The theoretical framework, which has been used to evaluate the influence of responsive web design on users, is based on Patrick Jordan's hierarchy of consumer needs, which originates from Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs. The theoretical framework consists of three levels, functionality, usability and pleasure, which each contains different criteria and heuristics. Furthermore, the theoretical framework is extended with Sherry Turkle's perspective on two different aesthetics, which provides an understanding of users' thoughts and expectations towards technologies nowadays.
Through the case analysis it is shown that two independent responsive websites across platforms generally have the same structure and that changes and transformations of content occurred in the same manner and patterns. Additionally, it is shown that loading time has an essential role and therefore can be decisive on how responsive web design is received by users. Finally, by using the theoretical framework as a tool for analysis, it is thereby possible to accurately point out where a responsive website meets the users' needs and expectations, lack focus and thus where it can be improved.
In conclusion, the responsive web design approach is capable of using and combining existing heuristics, which consist of both conventional and mobile ones. Furthermore, responsive web design also consist of new ones, which deals with the flexibility of content in a design across platforms. The influence responsive web design has on users depends on how well the given heuristics above are fulfilled. All in all, the better the heuristics are fulfilled, the more transparent the underlying system will appear which is what the users nowadays demand.