Most web designers (if not all) have been approaching the desktop version of any project first and work their way down to the mobile part later. But with the rise of responsive design, there’s a growing trend in the industry to flip this workflow and actually begin with mobile considerations and then work up to a larger desktop version. There are many reasons for this kind of thinking like:

Some statistics say that there are over 2.1 billion mobile web users worldwide and in the U.S. 25% of those users are actually mobile-only. But the fact that 25% of mobile users are mobile-only also means that 75% of them are not, making it obvious that the desktop is still an important medium, not to be forgotten.

The mobile version forces you to focus on what is more important and what should come first on the page. However, in my opinion, it’s always important to consider content hierarchy regardless the screen size and cutting down text is rarely an option for the client. I also think it’s easier for the client to see the desktop version first in the beginning of the project. I imagine most clients will see it on their laptops or even big desktop screens first and it seems easier to picture how the website is going to be after it’s built, if the design is closer to the screen they are using.

I understand that the desktop-first approach can compromise the quality of the mobile version as much as the other way around but my main concern is that the smaller screen might limit how much thinking we put on the “bigger” version. Not having much space to work with in the first place might cut down the details and lost of great technology for hover states, for example. It feels like we have fewer resources and the tool box is limited. From a strict design perspective, I find it very difficult to really dive into a design if I’m starting with a smaller artboard. That said, I think there are no absolute truths. It’s still important to consider the target audience and the kind of website to be designed.

To me the ultimate best approach is to think about both versions simultaneously. If our goal is to deliver content to as many users as possible, across a vast range of screen resolutions and devices why is it necessarily better to start with one and just think about the next later? Obviously, we have to choose a size to start with and I can base my choice on what I think the users are going to use more. But that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking how all the different elements are going to be displayed on a different screen size. To sum up, does it really make any difference where you start if the goal is to create beautiful designs and nice user experiences on as many browsers and devices as possible? Ensuring any site we build is as efficient as it can be and considers everything it needs shouldn’t be a matter of where we start. To me, it feels that is just a personal preference.