I would recommend Mobile Design and Development to any business that uses internet technology and plans to be around for a while.  This book does a good job of laying out the facts to back that up. Brian Fling’s book does an excellent job of laying out the different design elements that need to be adopted over the next few years.

The Big Picture

There are already more mobile devices connected to the internet than desktop and laptop computers combined.  Mobile devices also add cameras, location awareness, and other new capabilities to the mix.  This book provides the background and context needed in order to help avoid making short sighted decisions. 

The book is written for web designers, information architects, and other internet professionals.  It provides background on what makes the mobile web different from the traditional internet.  It then focuses on developing a mobile strategy with the help of custom mobile application development services.   I can wholeheartedly support a few of the rules provided here.  It’s hard to argue with: Focus on Context,  Goals, and Needs; You Can’t Support Everything; Don’t Convert, Create; Keep It Simple. 

Brian covers different design options that need to be considered in order to execute your strategy.  There are chapters on types of mobile applications, information architecture, and user interface. 

The remaining chapters focus on some practical advice for putting these ideas into practice.  I have already found myself referring to the chapter on mobile web development.

I recommend the book to anyone that is involved in internet technology and needs to start getting up to speed on mobility.  It is not written with the programmer in mind, rather for the person that needs to understand the impact of mobile devices on their business.  I believe that the biggest value in the book is in providing a framework for planning your mobile web strategy. 

Mobile Design and Development