With the ever-increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, touch-enhanced screens have become a common design element. More recently, this feature has become popular in laptops and even desktop systems, further changing the way people use the internet. It is important that the best web designers understand the various challenges of touch-enhanced design for proper implementation. In the right circumstances, touchscreens provide great, innovative web design solutions; if used incorrectly, touchscreens may become little more than a distraction.

Touchscreens – More Than Just Smartphones and Tablets

Although most users today have experienced a touchscreen while using a smartphone or tablet, this function is also appearing more frequently on larger screens, like laptops and some desktop systems. Most of today’s platforms that include on-board electronic controls also use touchscreens. They are pretty impressive when part of a well-executed web design, but not useful in every circumstance. It is essential for good web designers to understand that what is efficient and easy to use on one size screen, may not be on another. Therefore, it is wrong to assume that a site that uses the touchscreen function is just as functional on a larger screen.

Adjusting Touch-Enabled Sites for Screen Size

To create the most positive user experience with a touch screen function, smart web designers must consider how a touch-enabled website behaves on different screen sizes. This is especially important when considering the following:

  • Stretching to Scale – Touchscreens are designed to stretch to fit the accessing screen. That is fine on a phone, even in landscape mode; however, it causes awkwardness on laptops and larger devices, such as a 24 inch tablet or a full-sized, wide-screen laptop. When keyboards, forms, menus, and other input or action fields are brought up on a screen of that size, function becomes awkward and actually requires more hand and arm movement, negating some of the benefits of offering touch-enabled function.

  • Touch Precision – or Not – Another concern the best web design companies must contend with is the lack of precision that can accompany a touchscreen operation. Sometimes small touchscreens are difficult to use because they are too small; however, larger ones present their own problems, such as harder usage without two hands or moving the entire arm. Another concern is how a touch-enabled screen must be used much closer than customary with a screen some distance away. In addition, while touchscreens are great for young users, they can be challenging for elderly users and those with eyesight or motor function issues.

  • Unintentional Distraction – On larger screens, a good web design company must understand the touch-enabled design can be distracting in unexpected ways. Just the size of the input fields and the effort involved to use the keyboard, navigate around large areas with little content, and activate the right areas requires more effort than many users want when looking for a quick, seamless website interaction.

The main thing web design specialists must consider when designing touchscreen functions is the type of site and if the problems referenced above may detract from the user experience. When there is valid reasoning for a touch function, touchscreens offer a wonderful option for a unique website experience. The best web design company can shine with great touchscreen design, as long as it is used in an appropriate manner – one that enhances a user’s experience, rather than impeding it!

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