UI/UX - Should you start with Mobile or Desktop Design FIRST?

Let me know below. Do you design mobile first or desktop first when working in design apps? Also, do you code mobile or desktop first when you're working with HTML/CSS?

I agree it feels intuitive to first build your design in desktop format because of the width helps creatively to have a larger canvas and once you have a good mockup then you can simplify the design for mobile.. of course do what feels good or natural to you. this makes a lot of sense to me ! 🙏🏼

Please read about Graceful Degradation & progressive enhancement it will clear your thoughts on mobile first design.

I definitely prefer desktop first in development as well.

For me it's "Mobile thinking" while "Desktop designing". As soon as I finish the head section of the desktop version, I update the mobile layout immediately as I have them side-by-side too!

me too, in i'ved used desktop to smartphones view

Where i can find this figma project?

Your hairs are looking awesome 😍😎

when designing it is better to design desktop first, but development i prefer mobile first.

What about html and css?

What app is that?

54% of the web’s total traffic comes from mobile users and that number goes up every single year. Mobile first. Even a janky basic experience is still usable in a full browser, but an app that doesn’t scale to mobile devices can be totally unusable.

Thanks for the video, very insightful

i always start by figuring out the project requirements - I think you have to take a look at what is happening with the user needs because they may not be a 1 to 1 experience / some experiences may be limited in the mobile so it would make sense to have a clear picture of where things are going

I'm also desktop first... It's just easier to work from the big picture down. Helps with the details.

I think you need to have in Minds it is poseble user go this way or this way Desktop or Mobil. E.g. all Business Sites like Software or lawyer Site

I totally agree with you! For me it's much easier designing desktop first and work my way down. Unless you are working on a mobile app.

Content informs layout. Start with strategy, consider everything you need to include, order it appropriately. Desktop/mobile is barely even a factor.

I go mobile 1st or I get carried away on my big screens

I start desktop first with designing
but implementing mobile first; makes cleaner CSS and the implementation from small to big is easier to manage with less breakpoint specific code

This doubt is in everyones head !! Thanks for explain👍🏻

Totally agree with you!

As a beginner, it's a big help for me. Thank you Gary Simon

I have the same mindset, should be desktop first down to mobile screen.

I work in the same way. I find it a lot easier to design the desktop version and take things away. It's so much easier. Also since you're doing it on a wireframe level I don't see why it would have an incidence on the mobile version. If anything you have more time to think about what you'll do on mobile.

My old boss always told me to design section by section. The reason for that was because he would make websites using templates that he personalised. So he would take a template, design the hero section, then switch to smaller screens and so on. I mean it sort of works but I feel like this is a bad approach to webdesign. I wish I was taught to wireframe first and basic design principles.

So basically I applied for an internship, he hired me and threw me at the deep end. I was supposed to get sessions to at least be taught the basics etc. but he never had time and ended up giving me, his work load, even though I had no experience designing websites at all. I guess that's just the way it is and everyone went through a version of that at the beginning but it doesn't mean it's ok.

I'm not sure this is true on a general level, but for me personal - I have higher expectations when I enter a website from desktop. Then it make sense to design it for the full experience and then compromise as the screen get smaller.

Mobile first.. All the way

Desktop first approach simplifies your job because it's easier to hide things on mobile as compared to adding things on desktop that just becomes cumbersome

Graphic design for desktop first, but be cognizant of how it looks on mobile. Then, code for a mobile default first, then desktop after.

I always design desktop first and code mobile first. The reasoning is very similar to yours. It's way easier to remove when designing and add when coding.

Mobile first. Because mobile designs work on desktop, while desktop designs are terrible in mobile. If I finish mobile first, the site works on all devices. If I finish on desktop first, it sucks for mobile.

I only just started my UI/UX journey back in March earlier this year. Started with desktop design first since i spend most of my time on a desktop/laptop screen rather than on mobile, but i'm only still learning so its assuring to know that a professional thinks this is the right approach as well. The idea is to get good at desktop view and work my way down to mobile.

Desktop first it allows me to be creative as possible. Mobile is boring everything is reduced to one column so designing mobile first is counter intuitive and actually frustrates the design process. Mobile first purists make me sick. Go away.

I think, i am like you 😅

Thank you, you are helping very much.

a side note: if this a finished design, the second icon does not match the style of the other 2 which are outlined (this is one of the design principles i think you've mentioned at some point)

Always mobile first! It's too tempting to put stuff that may not be necessary in a desktop design. Mobile first forces a focus on what it necessary - speeding up delivery and avoiding unnecessary features.

In my small way, I think it is best in all cases to start from the desktop. Better to focus on a full screen and go down.

The main rationale behind mobile first is that it forces you to think of the most essential content.

I'm new to your channel, I'd love to know if you have any online course on UI/UX I can register?
I love your style of teaching

I was asking myself this exact question lately. This is really useful because I thought mobile first was the norm and I realize that both are fine. Thanks!

Do you always make few projects - mobile , tablet and desktop or only one for client?

It all depends on the targeted industry. Usually, for the UI design stage, I start with a desktop-first approach. I design the different screen sizes and do a mobile-first approach in coding.

I like developing desktop first, because the designs I’m given are designed for desktop. I’m almost never provided designs for smaller screens.

I work the same way.

As a general rule: Take mobile screens into account (they're small; handicapped by default), but don't let the desktop usability suffer.

Neither, I do both at once

I was just having a crisis 😭😭😭😭😭😭 Thank you so much!!

How does font scale from desktop to mobile