Re: FLASH: General role of Flash in webdesign...

[Antoine Valot]

Russell,


That was my point exactly: Useability principles can be applied to

Flash. Nielsen doesn't do it, but it doesn't mean WE can't do it.


Different tools, not different rules. As long as you help your user

achieve their goals, it doesn't matter if your interface is Flash,

DHTML, or plain text. I remember some highly useable gopher and FTP

sites from the days before the web. Hell, I remember highly useable

paper documents!


What I'd like to see is a site or column devoted to Flash useability.


Hmmm... maybe I should start one!


Antoine Valot



"Russell E. Unger" wrote:

> 

> Oh....careful here.  Remember that these are opinions.

> 

> I just spent a great evening speaking on Flash and Usability with the Chicago WebGrrls and there are

> a lot of points that can be countered from below.

> 

> In usability testing, a lot of testers find Flash to be an annoyance and will simply cover it with

> their hands or shut it down when anything pops up.

> 

> I don't want to go on and on and on with the topic; I just want to point out that there are several

> issues on both sides of the fence here.  You may be better off talking with someone at a Usability

> Testing lab (i.e. Human Factors) to see what their input is on the subject.

> 

> There simply is a lot of improvement that can be done to increase Flash's usability, as with

> anything else out there.

> 

> Russ

> 

> Antoine Valot wrote:

> 

> > Jakob Nielsen's writings are anything but ramblings. His useability

> > column raises all sorts of good issues, and should be read as one of the

> > few really useful info sites on the subject.

> >

> > However, and point that out to your bosses, Jakob does his column on

> > HTML web design, not on web design as an absolute. He simply has never

> > covered Flash, probably because it's too new of a technology for him to

> > have had a chance to comment on it.

> >

> > His useability principles still apply, in spirit, to Flash sites as well

> > as HTML. So a Flash site designed for useability and effectiveness would

> > please Mr. Nielsen more than an HTML one that is counter-intuitive for

> > the user. If Nielsen only knew how much Flash can do for useability,

> > when used correctly, he's call for a dumping of HTML in his column.

> >

> > Try telling them that. It might work well because, what you'd basically

> > be telling them, is that they would be smarter than Nielsen himself by

> > using Flash. Bosses love that kind of logic!

> >

> > Antoine Valot.

> >

> > >

> > > Wednesday, May 24, 2000, 12:02:36 PM, Verhaegen Tom

>

> > <tom [dot] verhaegencarels [dot] com> wrote:

> > > > To be franc, i changed Job ;-)

> > >

> > > First, I have to earn some money to back me up. ;-)

> > >

> > > > The only way the convince the clients is to make a studie. A studie in

> > > wich

> > > > you screen there compatitors and the technologie they use. If that doesn't

> > > > work you can pull out the statistique of the flash usage.

> > >

> > > Do you have an URL for good webstatistics on plugins etc.?

> > >

> > > > I have taken a look at the Jacon Nielsen and I even haven't read it (it

> > > just

> > > > not attractive and it doesnt invite me to read it.

> > >

> > > Me too! I looked over it shortly and closed the browser window.

> > >

> > > > If a company gives a business-presentation they try hard to look good, so

> > > > way should there website look like &%#$@@%^. A web site is an extra

> > > office,

> > > > so make it look good and the people will enter. (maybe this is an

> > > argument)

> > >

> > > That's what they already do consider. Despite the "negative thinking"

> > > of the programmer (uses only Unix and Lynx), who is one of the two

> > > bosses I have, we use graphics to put life into a website.

> > > (Imagine complaining voice: 'But no Flash...')

> > >

> > > Sincerely,

> > >

> > >    Thorvald Neumann

> > >    Medienentwickler

> > >

> > > --

> > > TSE GmbH Neue Medien, Hovestr.14, D-48351 Everswinkel

> > > Tel.: +49-2582-66180 - Fax: +49-2582-661833

> > > http://www.tse-online.de/

> > > http://www.schlemmen-im-muensterland.de/

> > >

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> > Register before May 25 mention flasher and save 25%!! www.wacfest.com

> >

> > Be discovered, get a job or have your web series picked up.  A big talent search for Shockwave

> > and Flash animators is happening May 30-June 4 in Hollywood.  Featuring Rob Burgess, Matt

> > Groening, Brad Bird and more.   www.wacfest.com

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> 

> flasher is generously supported by...

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> World Animation Celebration - Big Internet Animation Pow Wow Discount Offer

> 

> Register before May 25 mention flasher and save 25%!! www.wacfest.com

> 

> Be discovered, get a job or have your web series picked up.  A big talent search for Shockwave

> and Flash animators is happening May 30-June 4 in Hollywood.  Featuring Rob Burgess, Matt

> Groening, Brad Bird and more.   www.wacfest.com

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

>

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email helpchinwag [dot] com

flasher is generously supported by...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

World Animation Celebration - Big Internet Animation Pow Wow Discount Offer


Register before May 25 mention flasher and save 25%!! www.wacfest.com


Be discovered, get a job or have your web series picked up.  A big talent search for Shockwave

and Flash animators is happening May 30-June 4 in Hollywood.  Featuring Rob Burgess, Matt

Groening, Brad Bird and more.   www.wacfest.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

helpchinwag [dot] com