Do not let Flash take toll of your web site.
Flash as the latest fad in web design
The use of Flash has picked momentum in recent years and web has
started to look more visually appealing and trendier than ever
before. The growing acceptability of Flash to enliven web site
is not only restricted to designers alone but it is increasingly
finding its lovers across all displines of web technology. In
sphere of web design professionals, beginners as well as
considerably experienced web designers are trying their hands on
Flash to showcase their creative potential and design skills.
Some pundits from the industry predict that with this kind of
extensive use of Flash in web design, that day, in fair
possibility, is not far off when World Wide Web will transform
into some sort of web multimedia show. Here at this juncture in
future Flash will lead to such a possibility where people
gradually dumps HyperText Markup Language (HTML) as this is not
compatible with a colorful web experience.
Whatever be the possibility of this prediction to come true,
Flash is afforded a warm and cozy embrace by one and all at the
moment. It remains to be seen how long this fad will continue to
reign. Or people will be gradually lured to some another trend
in that is yet to hit the web space?
Nonetheless, this fad has made an impressive number of web sites
artistic and good looking giving opportunities to web designer
to express themselves the way they have always wanted. Thanks to
this technological fade which has brought yet another feature of
World Wide Web: the repository of art and design in web sites.
What promotes the popularity of Flash use?
Flash helps a great deal in getting a web site which is vibrant
in color, graphics, animations and sounds. There are all the
more reasons why people will not be captivated in its persistent
use. Even the users, on the face value, do get a great look and
feel factor. The thing which is even more important in the
popularity of Flash use is the fact that when web sites all
around boast of charisma of design with the use of flash, people
tend to follow suit.
This is understandable that why people should not refrain from
giving their web site a stroke of creative touch especially when
this trend is in the air. Probably this is an instance of how
craze of a trend develops and how it influences collective
behavior of masses; this time around it is about a bulk of
techies from web design.
How does Flash design affect user's experience and
accessibility of your web site?
Undoubtedly, Flash design makes a web site look great. However,
what just follows this so great component of the web site is
annoying user experience. In cases where Flash has been used in
extremes in a creative endeavor, user experience turns out to be
profoundly terrible.
Apart form beautification aspect, Flash just does not value add
to the user experience. Flash web sites take considerable time
to load, and hence put users patience to put. The condition is
further aggravated with the fact that still most of the users
have slow Internet connection. As is pretty clear up to this
point that Flash is not at all bandwidth friendly.
Worse still, since Flash files might contain not only moving
images but moving text, and not all browsers are compatible to
read Flash files. This is not all. This fact can also not be
overlooked that not many people have got Flash player installed
on their PCs.
One interesting observation on the human behavior is that the
same folks who feel wow on the visual appeal of web site do not
feel the same once they are there on the net as users and seeks
certain information. They no longer cherish the beauty of web
site, and loading time begins to be disgusting for them.
Interesting enough, they switch to another web site or wish to
hop off to other web site where they not are subjected to the
tyranny of wait and watch.
Moreover, Flash is fundamentally used to bring in pleasing
visual effects in web site. What web folks forget to realize
that there is a considerable number of people who are visually
disabled, and therefore, can not relish such beauty. They are
annoyed by slowing down of their machines due to Flash web
sites; certainly this is something web designer can take a
lesson or two.
In short, Flash generated hiccups together make user experience
on the Internet time consuming and a little unwholesome for
information retrieval.
Flash: An enabling web tool vs. designer's obsession
Flash web sites are a matter of excessive use of a particular
technology and technology per se cannot be blamed on any counts.
Like other web related tools, Flash is definitely an enabling
tool where it is used in the right context and in the right
measure needed.
The instances where Flash has been used with impunity smell of
designer's obsession to prove his mettle in domain of design
specifics. These web sites are really wonderful in design
perspective but unfortunately Flash takes a heavy toll of
usability and accessibility of such sites.
Probably those who designed such sites forgot to realize that
the purpose of a web site is much, much beyond mere visual
pleasure. Web sites have got informative and commercial values.
Mindless use of Flash renders the system slow; and given the
short attention and patience span of online users, users hardly
bother to tolerate waiting period, which might be irritating or
even frustrating to them.
How to use Flash to your optimal advantage
It has been often seen that people tend to use Flash with a view
to conceal the lack of content on their web sites. This is some
thing that is based on false premises because people come to web
sites looking for content or information. What's more, this is
content which pursues users to come back again to the web sites.
That is probably the reason why there is a plethora of beautiful
web sites which are not faring well in terms of user retention
and business statistics. Remember this inference has nothing to
do with such web sites where Flash happens to be content and it
is a case more of a necessity than over use of it. Say for
instance, web sites which thrive on online games, jokes, maps,
graphs etc.
However, this does not necessarily mean that use of Flash is
solely beneficial for sites heavily dealing with games, jokes,
maps, graphs etc. Its use transcends over such sites and is
really helpful provided it is used in moderation and in
strategic consideration.
Let's have an idea how Flash can be used in strategic
consideration so as not to hamper usability and accessibility
of your web site.
- Don't be tempted to design your web site in Flash alone. Use a
good mix of HTML and Flash in a user friendly way to tap maximum
traffic.
- Keep it etched in your memory that Flash can never be a
substitute for the content on your site. Use Flash only to
enhance the value of your content, not at all to replace it.
- Information retrieval could be a disturbing experience for
your users if you display content in Flash files. Do change such
practice in favor of your users.
- Optimize your Flash files to an extent which helps you serve
your users better rather than drive them away unpleasantly.
A lesson in Flash
Make sure on your part that you use Flash in proportionate
amounts to enliven your web site and hence Flash does not take
toll of meaningful information retrieval.