Publishing toMobile Devices:
Best Practices and Strategies
Mike HamiltonV.P. Product EvangelismMadCap [email protected]
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”• Inconsistent
viewers• 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 supports
all devices• Can be branded• Always up to date• Handles “overflow”
content well
WebHelp Mobile
Disadvantages:• Requires a live
data 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 [email protected]