» The Splash of Flash
by
Lisa Calhoun of MCP Media, Inc.
You know we're in a new age when talking about flashing someone
is less about taste and more about bandwidth. Flash, a streaming
format from Macromedia, allows Web sites to behave like movies,
reacting to the mouse in a way that seems almost alive. Flash
has gained in popularity in the last five years as more and more
designers learn how to integrate it into overall Web design.
In extreme cases, entire Web sites are built in Flash.
The Pros of Flash
Flash is platform independent, meaning your Flash messages
appear the same way on a Mac or on a PC. Plus, the interactivity
of
Flash lets your viewers linger on your site playing with
its reactivity, making it move. Flash sites can be addictive.
Check
out these successful business sites to see Flash in action:
http://www.mercermc.com
http://www.adp.com
http://www.matrox.com
http://www.mckinsey.com
The Cons of Flash
There's no doubt that Flash is appealing to the eye, but when
it's over-used, it can easily create a messy impression.
It's also much less modular than graphics/test interfaces.
With
a graphics/test Web site, when your product changes, you
upload a new photo. When your product changes and your Web
site is
Flash-based, you've got a few hours of careful crafting on
your hands instead of a quick upload.
Also, even though the playful interactivity of Flash is a positive,
the downside is your well-crafted messages could get lost in
the motion. Did you visit http://www.mercermc.com? Can you name
two definitive things they do? Although it's listed in the text,
the sheer interactivity of the graphics is overwhelming. On the
other hand, http://www.adp.com uses a small dash of flash to
add attractive motion to an otherwise very modular, easy-to-update,
text-driven site.
Flash files are also larger than typical Web graphics and text.
If your intended viewers aren't surfing at fast connection speeds,
they will find Flash pages frustrating. As a Web developer at
Employease, the hosted application provider for the HR/payroll
industry, told me recently, "Flash looks like amateur hour
really fast."
Most designers can agree that you don't need Flash to look great
online. Consider the following Web sites--they sport unique interfaces
and have chosen to be Flash-free (at least at the time of this
writing!):
http://www.fedex.com
http://www.casauri.com
How to Use Flash
Most experts agree that unless you are a Flash developer showing
off bleeding-edge skills, the best way to use Flash is with
the "seasoning" methodology. A little spice goes
a long way. Used sparingly like salt or pepper, Flash can accent
your Web site with interactive, captivating touches that don't
slow down the overall connection speed too badly. A little
goes a long way. So as you consider adding Flash to your Web
site, keep in mind your reasons. Are you adding Flash because
everyone else has it? Or because you feel a splash of Flash
might add just the stickiness you need to keep someone's attention
a couple of critical seconds longer? Flash, like everything
else about your business Web site, is a business decision--make
it with your users in mind.
MCP Media- intelligent multimedia solutions. |
