Mobile and desktop computing differ in some very key ways, and understanding these is crucial for building data visualizations that are effective on both the platforms.
Mobile
- Has multiple screen orientations
- Has uniformly-small screen dimensions
- Does not have a pointer; interaction is derived from touch gestures and has no hover state
- Often relies on inconsistent data availability
- Has significantly less computing power than comparable laptops
- Keyboard is visible on-screen when in use; it is not used for navigation
Desktop
- Generally has only one screen orientation
- Has variably-large screen dimensions (and is often connected to huge screens)
- Uses a pointer (and keyboard) to interact and the hover state is usable
- Generally has reliable data availability
- Has significantly more computational power than comparable phones and tablets
- Keyboard can be used without impacting what's visible on the screen; can also be used for navigation
I really don't have the space to go into a full course about how to do responsive design right here, but a few basic principles to keep in mind will get you started.