Exploring Adaptive Interfaces

After enjoying more than a decade of relative stability in designing for the 'desktop' web, smartphones had to come along and throw a wrench in the works. It seemed that in an instant, everything changed and nothing was certain any more. The truth is, though, nothing was ever certain.

One of the web’s major strengths is its ability to adapt, to travel anywhere and everywhere in service of its users. All those years we were the ones restraining it with our desire to create a single monolithic experience. But experience is not monolithic. Every person is different and we all bring our unique perspectives, experiences, and capabilities to the table. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely fits anyone well. When we embrace that, our designs, products, and experiences will be all the better for it.

In this talk, Aaron will discuss and dissect several adaptive interfaces and demonstrate how they smartly morph to meet their users’ needs — slow connections, older browsers, narrow screens, and even no screens at all. He’ll also introduce you to a battle-tested tool for planning, discussing, building and testing adaptive interfaces.