The basic elements of responsive design – fluid grids, flexible media and CSS media queries – are key to building successful websites that work across platforms and devices, but these three components are not the end of the responsive design story. In fact, as developer Brad Frost argues in the talk embedded above, there is, or should be, much more to it than that.
While many would call the broader approach "adaptive" design, Frost wants the phrase "responsive web design" to go the way of Corn Flakes, as he puts it. That is, to become a more general term that can "encompass all the things that go into creating a great multi-device web experience." That means things that go beyond fluid grids, flexible media and media queries – things like performance, device support, device optimization and future-friendly designs.
In Frost's analogy responsive design is the tip of the adaptive design iceberg, where all the good stuff is under the water. "Below the waterline, that's where the true opportunity is," says Frost, "that is where we actually have the potential to basically reshape what the web is, what it can do, where it can go and who it can reach. And that is powerful."
Just what's below the waterline and how do you roll these broader ideas into an actual website? Well, be sure to watch the video – Frost walks through an example of a mobile-first responsive design, which you can also read about on his site. If you prefer a tutorial sans video, Frost's write-up from last year is available on HTML5Rocks.
