You may even be wondering why exactly you need to know about Responsive Web Design. If you’re a designer who only designs, meaning you aren’t responsible for the HTML and CSS of the site on which you are working, a lot of this might just go over your head. what happens when a new device comes out? Responsive design takes the stress away knowing you have a web site that is working at its optimal level on all devices. It will save you time and money because you are not designing for MANY platforms –android, blackberry, ipad, iphone etc etc.
Responsive is not the perfect solution for all web sites but a good majority would benefit from it. Like with anything choosing the right solution depends on your needs/wants. It is going to present the page depending on the device, with a mobile web site you are limited in pages (sticking to the top 5 – 7 page rule). You also are able to present ALL of the content in your web site without limiting navigation or pages. The beauty of it is that you can target your messaging based on the device the viewer is using and manage it without having to worry about how it will look – that has been done already. Think of it this way, small = phone, medium = tablet, and large = traditional laptop/desktop. The reason being is that it takes more planning in the development phase – in essence you are designing the site 3 times. You can typically plan on about 25% cost increase over regular web site. “Having a web site developed with responsive design is more costly up front.