Tables
Tables are an essential component of annual and sustainability reports. At the same time, their implementation on smartphones presents a major challenge: reducing the size of a table to the relevant browser size might make them illegible. Figures must be prevented from wrapping to the next line and redesigning a table is not an option, due to extensive legal implications. In a consistently designed report, the size of a table is therefore only reduced to a certain extent, thus ensuring that figures do not wrap to the next line. Where there is not enough space for the table contents, a slide function is activated which allows users to move the relevant table back and forth with their fingers.
Example: Volkswagen Online Annual Report 2013 – Balance Sheet
Navigation
The complex structure of online reports is the exact reason why the navigation menu of a mobile version requires a good deal of thought. For certain display sizes, the standard navigation menu is replaced with a special mobile menu. Since smartphones are navigated with one’s fingers, the clicking areas must be as large as possible. In addition to the main menu, it is recommended to include a flat-navigation (“go to next page”), allowing smartphone users to browse certain parts of a report quickly and easily. An additional breadcrumb navigation allows users at any time to easily see which part of the report they are currently browsing.
Example: Linde Online Annual Report 2013
Features
Some additional features enhance the usability of a mobile report. This includes, for example, a smartphone-optimised search function, the Previous Year Comparison, videos or cross-linking of contents. Layer glossaries, print functions (for wireless printers) and the mobile-optimised Download Manager can also be regarded as an asset for mobile users. The most innovative feature for Responsive Design reports is, without doubt, a Java Scriptbased Chart Generator which allows users to create their own interactive overview of key figures on their smartphones.