Publishers of technology books, eBooks, and videos for creative people

Home > Articles > Design > Voices That Matter

Responsive Design Workflow: Designing in Text

In this chapter, Stephen Hay discusses responsive design with text, including marking up plain text and converting plain text to HTML.
This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

  • “Plain text is the underlying content stream to which formatting can be applied. [...] Plain text is public, standardized, and universally readable.”
  • THE UNICODE STANDARD, VERSION 6.1

The world’s first web page was practically mobile ready. And that was in a time when there were no tablets or smartphones. There’s one simple reason for this: the web page consisted of plain text. Actually, it consisted of structured text with hyperlinks. This was how the web started, and the premise of structured content is still the basic foundation of the web (Figure 4.1).

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.1. The world’s first website was essentially mobile ready.

We’ve added to the basic building blocks of the web, which were essentially (structured) plain text, hyperlinks, and images. We have technologies like JavaScript and SVG that let us draw on the screen, or even create entire user interfaces. Many developers advocate creating a distinction between web apps and web documents, referring to information-based websites, such as the W3C’s first web page—or your blog—as web documents.

It’s all content

We need not concern ourselves with the heated discussions about apps versus documents. For our purposes, if it’s on the web, it’s probably both. Most websites composed of documents are run by an application such as a content management system that requires a user interface. This tends to be the case even if the site’s purpose is informational.

By the same token, I’ve never seen a web app without content. No app simply contains buttons with nothing on them, text fields without labels, and absolutely no text on the page.

One of the biggest problems in web accessibility is that many people start with the advanced user interface, take that as a given, and try to “add accessibility.” Many websites are designed from the UI in rather than from the content out.

Take a geographical mapping application such as Open Street Maps or Google Maps as an example. It’s easy for developers to plot out company locations on a map. When embedding these types of apps within a web page, there may be a focus on making that interface accessible—ensuring that the user can navigate with nothing more than a keyboard, for example. This is great, but there’s a problem: technically complex or advanced user interfaces can’t be viewed or used on every device. There’s only one type of content that can be viewed on virtually any web-enabled device, and that is plain text, or rather, plain text that’s been structured with HTML. Like it or not, HTML is the way we structure plain text for the web, because HTML is the single most portable and universally readable format at the time of this writing. Anything that can show websites can read and display HTML.

This means that there’s an alternative approach to accessibility for complex interfaces, and for making any content universally available: start with the text-based foundation of the website or application you’re designing, and then add the complex interface as a layer on top of this text base.

This might sound weird at first, but when you think about it, a mapping application does contain actual data and textual content. It’s simply obscured from the user. We have to deal with a layer of abstraction to get to that information. Responsive design starts at the base: the structured content level. This allows sites and apps to respond to the user’s environment, rather than expecting the user to respond to the interface (perhaps by grabbing a different device so she can actually use what we’ve built).

The way to do this is to start with the data, that is, the plain old textual content that’s always available somewhere. Don’t bury this under an avalanche of UI, but expose it from the very beginning. Allow that content to be the base on which you build.

So what about those company location maps? Well, the base data is probably a list of company location addresses, and perhaps other data such as phone numbers and URLs. My opinion? Don’t hide this data in a map. If you need or want a map, that’s fine, but leave the textual data open for the user as well, instead of taking perfectly accessible data and hiding it from some users.

If you think this sounds a lot like progressive enhancement, you’re absolutely right. That’s what it is. And of course there are exceptions; there always are. But generally, many web apps are web forms at their core. Many websites are simply structured text at their core. By starting the design at the core, we can build websites that are more accessible and more usable by more and larger groups of people.

Starting design with plain text

Designer Bryan Rieger shares my love of plain text. During some correspondence with me about the subject, he shared these thoughts:

  • “One technique I’ve used for years is to ‘design in text’... not necessarily describing everything in textual form [...] essentially what is the message that needs to be communicated if I was only able to provide the user with unstyled HTML?”
  • BRYAN RIEGER

Rieger’s statement embodies most of what this book is all about: creating from the most basic, important content and working from that point forward. The technique of designing in text—that is, unstyled HTML—has some absolute benefits:

  • As in content inventory and content reference wireframes, the focus is on content. In the case of designing in text, it’s all about the structure of the textual content. Irrelevant content becomes easy to spot, as it’s not hidden by the design.
  • Designing in text utilizes one of the most important building blocks of the web: HTML.

  • The linear form of structured text prepares us for the starting point for responsive design: the smallest screens with the least capabilities. (Remember the web’s first page!)
  • Clients familiar with word processors are probably familiar with the idea of linear, structured content (although some require an explanation of the difference between visual and structural formatting). It’s relatively easy to convert word processor documents into structured plain text.

When you create a page with unstyled HTML, you have created a web page that’s mobile ready. From a design standpoint, it’s also mobile first. With the default width of 100%, you might say it’s on a single-column, flexible grid. This is a perfect starting point for responsive design.

Where content reference wireframes get us thinking about content at a block level, designing in text shifts the focus to the smaller bits of content. Let’s take a look at how these ideas apply to the book website.

Peachpit Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Peachpit and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Peachpit products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email ask@peachpit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Adobe Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.peachpit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020