Gmail Display Density
Google has recently made some pretty comprehensive changes to their Gmail interface. One change that I found interesting is what Google are calling ‘Display Density’, which automatically adjusts the layout of the page based on the size of the browser window. Google have also provided three settings that can be used to adjust the density of information on the page and afford users a level of control over how the page looks. While I don’t think the implementation is quite right, it is an interesting way to solve the problem of designing interfaces that will be used on devices with screens of all shapes and sizes.
Gmail Display Density Settings (https://mail.google.com/mail/help/newlook_sizes.html)
The issue of what resolution to assume for a user group is one that we come up against regularly and will become more of an issue as the use of multiple devices to access the same interface by the same user becomes more common. Imagine accessing Gmail from a 21 inch widescreen in work, a 13 inch notebook in the home office and on an iPad on the train.
I feel that this type of functionality is a really positive step and will help to preserve the integrity of the overall experience across devices while optimizing it for the screen size being used at any one time and I hope to see more of this type of functionality.
Totally agree!
I use a 32″ TV monitor for home, and 13″ Mac Book, an iPhone, and and iPad and a 17″ mac Book to access my e-mail. All experiences work really well. I never find myself trying to work out how to make it work better on each site. The usability of screen size is critical. (I recently asked NAB to stop the Internet Banking log in Pop up window from expanding to full screen size, because I use a 32″ screen, and it annoys me to then have to reduce the screen size to something more usable).