Responsive web design is the term that best fits the direction web delivery is shifting toward - as it is apparent that web design and traffic is rapidly moving beyond viewing from only the desktop computer. Responsive design is a widely adopted technical approach to accommodate any size browser window. UA mobile traffic has exploded over the last few years as devices like iPhones, iPods, iPads, Androids, Blackberries and Smart Phones are becoming the web browsing tool of choice. UA students are leading this mobile device surge.
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What does that mean in terms of department web pages? In the past few years we have resisted the temptation to build mobile-specific sites as the number of devices we would be designing for was growing as fast as the mobile traffic. In the interim the OIT Web Services Group has been working on new “responsive design” templates that will better deliver UA web pages on all assorted desktop platforms as well as the varied mobile devices each with a different sized screen. These new templates are ready and UA Public Affairs will begin transferring UA Statewide web sites to them starting within the next few months.
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Offices will be notified in advance and the schedule will be flexible during this transfer. This effort will not involve personnel time from departments. The site content, architecture and security will remain intact. The biggest noticeable change will be that department sites will be better looking and more logically formatted for viewing on mobile devices.
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The current sites in Roxen production (PROD) will be copied to Roxen test (TEST) and the new responsive templates will be applied to all of the existing content, layout and graphics. Departments will be asked to not update sites for a few days during this process as the individual look and feel will be adjusted to fit the new templates while retaining as much of the design of each of the sites as possible.
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Compare these two Stay on Track sites as an example of what the changes will entail. These new “responsive design” templates will change in size and layout as the site is reduced or enlarged depending on the device/browser being used. Adjust the browser size and watch the layout switch between the mobile viewer sizes.

Stay on Track Web site in production now http://www.alaska.edu/stayontrack/
Stay on Track� Responsive Design site in test https://cms-test.alaska.edu/stayontrack/
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This project will be coordinated by Izzy Martinez. 450-8100.
syweb@alaska.edu