Forum Moderators: not2easy
simulates an operator building the site in front of your eyes.
Where does that animation belong? In a portfolio section.
I'd hate to think someone would have to sit through something like that every single time they came to my site, because I can only imagine most folks wouldn't bother.
That's something "designers" and graphics people are often accused of: prioritizing whether something looks cool over whether it really serves its purpose. Personally, I didn't even bother clicking on the "English" link on that page to see what the site was all about...
I will have to say that I am their target market. I looked through the site more because of the way it was created. What they need is 2 sites. One for second entry without the animation. A button to move to a nonanimated version in the flash movie would be optimal. If they have one then the site works well for what it is trying to achieve, but it was not obvious enough to be truly successful. It is trying to target people who develop Flash and the concept is actually quite nice. I don't want to sit through all of it again though.
I didn't even bother clicking on the "English" link on that page to see what the site was all about...
Neither did I.
Actually, it would be interesting to find out how many people viewed the whizbang intro and can remember the name of the product or website 10 minutes later.
I can't!
- Chad
Just goes to show.
Probably.
Something like this is a great interactive learning tool, and would probably work best for something like that. Obviously, the skill level is there on the designer's part.
Putting myself in the designer's shoes - maybe they were bored out of their skull and THAT's why they used that approach. Not a very sophisticated explanation, yet plausible. There are so many rules on the web of what we should and shouldn't do - and what is good design - sometimes it's little gems like this that make the web a more interesting place, despite the rules.
I could tolerate the first part, sort of a usual flash/splash page but trying to check out the company ... that is to slow and annoying.
peace. :)
Having said that, I thought it was great. Once you got past the intro (too long), further links kept the "building" theme but wisely used only 1 or 2 fast movements.
Thank heavens a flash user has seen past the sliding images, fading layers and twirling text... ugggggg!
There are advantages from doing something differently: As May West once said: "It's better to be looked over than over-looked" -- which is what is happening to a lot of conservative, "web-correct" (TM) sites.
Kieron
This site is intended for flash designers. Their opinions are really the ones that matter here. At what point will it be OK to have gui type animation?
I think, for its audience, it was well thought out and produced.
I absolutely agree, although the first time, I looked only at the intro, returned here to the thread, and then realized that I had no clue what the product actually was, what it was called, or what the rest of the site was like.
I went back and examined the entire site, and yes, it is probably perfect for the product and target audience...but there is a huge problem: I am not the only one who had no clue.
There must be something that could be done on that first page to make it at least sticky enough to prod the user into at least finding out what the product does...though for the life of me, I can't figure out what that might be.
There is no detracting from the creative use of flash, but as a site trying to promote something it fails.
At what point will it be OK to have gui type animation?
Long (over a minute) pause on IE while it revved itself up. Then tells me I need a newer version of Flash. I'll install software when I want to, not when a website is inadequately coded.
So I haven't seen it. Can't comment.
It is a basic usability point that I think is being overlooked. If the designer slows it down for the general web then they could scare off or bore their intended audience. This is a well focused audience. I find this quite interesting. I think the other point that needs to be made is that this is a free application and you are looking at a personal site. This is not a company.
I have seen many flash sites and few compare to the ingenoius nature of this intro.
But ...
As a website I am not convinced. It took 3 minutes to load(using an V.old win95 pc today) and then offered me very little content. I have book marked this page but only as an example to myself of
1. Brilliant Flash design
2. Bad Webdesign
my 2 pence
I'd hate to think someone would have to sit through something like that every single time they came to my site, because I can only imagine most folks wouldn't bother.
Just sold some software to a company in the UK today, and went to their site to check out who they are.
It was a flash site, which I wouldn't mind as such, if well done and informative. But somehow the designer managed to restart the 20 second intro each time a user switches to another of the 8 subsections. Had exactly the same time-waster effect as this one, just much less fun to watch even the first time...
I think, for its audience, it was well thought out and produced.
That's what I thought at first. Until I went to the ONLINE DEMO link, which loaded a new page with a new flash movie, and no way to return other than the back button. And the back button started the initial intro again...
Flash or no flash, that's disastrous useability.
<added>Oh, and another grave design mistake: The menu at left consists of one multiline text field that overlays the actual buttons. That makes it dependent on the exact fonts installed on the target system. On my linux box (with the Flash MX beta), the font is too large, which causes the text to get out of sync with the horizontal lines.</added>
I saw the full horror though when I went to Google to search on something and then went back to the site so I could comment here and the whole bloody flash movie started again :( should have a small link for Been here before!
Craig
victor if you don't have the new Flash plugin and can't see flash movies then why would you want to get Flash MX plugins? This is always strange that people don't look at an intended audience. If I sell something specifically for fighter pilots why should I have to make it readable for screen readers?
If the site isn't intended for someone with my rig, then it's almost a fair point that I can't see it or even get a clue what it is about.
However, I would have expected a bit more politeness from them in saying "this site needs ... and this is why it needs it".
Afterall, I might have the purchasing authority to buy plug-ins for my whole company. Or I might, despite wearing thick glasses and needing a screen reader, be an R&D expert researching fighter software for a major government.
Everytime a site chooses to exclude a portion of the Web they run the risk that the excluded portion includes decison makers, influencers, journalists, ODP editors, and others they'd really want to let in a litle -- or at least be polite to.
Afterall, I might have the purchasing authority to buy plug-ins for my whole company. Or I might, despite wearing thick glasses and needing a screen reader, be an R&D expert researching fighter software for a major government.
In which case, you're still not a part of his target audience. Anyone who would be interested in this guy's site content is already using Flash at a development level, and they'd have the plug-in installed.
It's like someone complaining that "The Man Show" isn't appropriate for children or appealing to women. I may think it looks stupid as heck, but I'm also a woman, not in the target demographic, and there's a reason they didn't call it "The Man, Woman and Child Show."
Now that I know the guy is apparently offering plugins targeted at Flash MX developers, or something of that sort, which obviously doesn't include me, I'm not so sure he's not doing a great job of targeting his intended audience.
I still think the site could use a "skip intro" link though... even a Flash developer would probably appreciate being able to save some time on a second or third visit to the site.
Can some one please explain to me why do Flash designers think they can write in a very small text?
antipodes
