Optimizing Web Design for Handhelds

Users refer to them by brand name -- my PalmPilot, my Cassiopeia and my Niño, to name a few. Manufacturers label them by categories -- PDAs [Personal Digital Assistants], Connected Organizers, PC Companions, Palm-sized PCs and H/PCs. But no matter what you call them, one thing is certain; the number of users of handheld devices is growing.

Respected market analysis firm International Data Corporation (IDC) recently estimated the total number of all handheld devices shipped worldwide to exceed 24.8 million in 2001 - a dramatic increase over the nine million shipped in 1998. More important than these numbers, however, is the rise in value of small, portable information devices to today's organizations. Using a judicious combination of software and design principles, companies are finding they can extend their enterprise and Web-based applications to handheld computers based on both the Palm Computing and Windows CE platforms.

Putting the squeeze on content

Small size is a virtue in these devices, but developing effective interactive applications for low-resolution monochrome displays requires thoughtful planning. The following tips, gleaned from lessons learned by mobile software maker AvantGo, Inc., can help you optimize your enterprise-wide HTML applications for small screen devices. An example of well-designed page is shown below.

Choose Content Carefully -- When deciding what information to store on handhelds, choose only that which is most essential. In general, this means information that a user will access regularly or will urgently require in certain situations. Of course, different employees have different needs, so you will want to keep your audience in mind. Customize the content specifically for the target user and target only the information important to that user.

Minimize Page Length -- Handheld computers restrict the amount of screen space available to an application, so, when developing applications for small screens, keep in mind that horizontal/vertical scrolling is not always the best solution. Instead, consider providing quick drill down navigation via hypertext links that easily and intuitively allow you to navigate forward and backward.

Intranet Journal

Putting the squeeze on content