In a perfect world, designers would have complete control over how finished web-based projects look. However, with all the variables that occur when viewing a website across multiple devices, “complete control” is not always the case. Designers must adapt to the technological changes of the web and make modifications to improve their workflow. Creating responsive and flexible websites that work great no matter what gadget they're viewed from seems to be the answer and Adobe has created a preview application for designers that does just that.

Adobe Edge Reflow is a tool created for developing responsive websites without having to type any HTML (the Hypertext Markup Language) or CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). One really great feature is the ability to live preview what a site will look like at different sizes. This is possible with the ability to set and adjust media queries or breakpoints within a site design. With one click, you can see a page design on a smartphone scale-to-fit or fit a large desktop display. In addition to live responsive previewing, the software comes equipped with all the tools necessary to adjust layout and styling. The software generates HTML code and CSS styling behind the scenes that is up to current web standards. Some software features include the ability to add text with Typekit font integration, reflowing copy through multiple text boxes, and importing and adjusting assets created in Photoshop and Illustrator—which is similar, in some ways, to a classic print workflow.

From a traditional print designers standpoint, Adobe Edge Reflow seems like a great program for building responsive sites without knowing how to write any code. Integrating this software into a design workflow could be highly beneficial in terms of time savings and having the ability to show a client how their site will look live across multiple devices. Edge Reflow is a fairly new application and is available for download directly from the Creative Cloud. It will be interesting to see how this software is received, and if it will in fact be adopted as a tool used among design professionals.