publishing to mobile devices: best practices and strategies mike hamilton v.p. product evangelism...

Publishing toMobile Devices:

Best Practices and Strategies

Mike HamiltonV.P. Product EvangelismMadCap Softwaremhamilton@madcapsoftware.com

Agenda

•Types of Devices

•Delivery Formats

•Delivery Strategy

Type of Device

Type of Device

Smartphones

Tablets

Smartphones/Hand Helds

• Small form factor (7cm to 13cm)

• Relatively low resolution–320x480–480x360–400x800–640x960

• Low resolution pointing device (Touch)

Smartphones/Hand Helds

Primary Limitations:

• Limited screen width–Fine for text–Problematic for large, non-text content

• Touch interfaces–Elements must be sized to be compatible with human touch

Tablets

• Medium form factor (17cm to 26cm)• Medium to high resolution

–800x600–1024x600–1024x768–1366x768–2048x1536

• Touch/Mouse interfaces

Tablets

Primary Limitations:• Multiple interface options• Touch interfaces

–Elements must be sized to be compatible withhuman touch

Tablets

Primary Limitations:• Multiple interface options• Touch interfaces

–Elements must be sized to be compatible withhuman touch

• Mouse interfaces–Can use standardelements

DeliveryFormats

Delivery Formats

•EPUB•HTML5 •WebHelp Mobile

• Designed for long, linear documents (novels)

• Requires a viewer

• Presents like a book, but reflows content like a web page

EPUB

Advantages

• Comfortable book-like feel

• “Off-line” format

• Single file

• Standards-based

EPUB

Disadvantages

• Requires an installed viewer

• Difficulty with “overflow”

• Inconsistentviewers

• No branding

EPUB

HTML5

• Optimized for medium or large format devices

• Uses the on board browser

• Tested: –Int. Explorer–Chrome–Firefox–Safari

HTML5

Advantages:

• Cross-browser and cross-platform

• No frameset!

• Can be branded

• Known experience

HTML5

Disadvantages:

• No Internet Explorer 6 or 7 support (use the older WebHelp)

WebHelp Mobile

• Optimized for small format devices

• Uses the on board browser

• Tested: –Android–Blackberry–iPhone–Windows Phone

WebHelp Mobile

Advantages:

• One output supportsall devices

• Can be branded

• Always up to date

• Handles “overflow”content well

WebHelp Mobile

Disadvantages:

• Requires a livedata connection

• Can be quite technical

Mike’s Mobile Support Strategy

Phones and Hand Helds

WebHelp Mobile

• Use an appropriate navigation strategy for the small screen

• Customize your CSS

• Use conditionals / meta-data to remove any unnecessary content

Tablets

Modified WebHelp or HTML5

• Customize your CSS using a Mobile “medium”

• Increase the size of navigation items

Summary

• Determine what devices you need to support

• Select an appropriate format for each type of device

• Tailor content using templates, CSS, and meta-data

• Modify navigation elements for touch compatibility

Questions?

Mike HamiltonV.P. Product EvangelismMadCap Softwaremhamilton@madcapsoftware.com