Flash and functionality of web sites

In October 2000, one of the most respected experts in the field of web site usability Jakob Nielsen opened the fighting on the front «flash usability»writing is superficial, article «Flash 99% is bad». Nothing revolutionary is not saying, confirmed an old truth: the inept use of the technology is capable of a strong degree of discredit in the eyes of potential users.

Independentisimo demarches of Experts on the functionality of Web sites, the technology has continued to grow and expand its capabilities. She already went through a period of childhood, when Flash was used for the intro page and an advertisement. And, behold, there was the era of the creation of complete web sites, sites whose Internetface 100% built on Flash technology.

Creating a full-fledged site already falls within the jurisdiction of the professionals in the field of interfaces, which address issues related to functionality and ease of operation site (usability).

In this regard, it would be interesting to discuss the rules for creation of websites, fully developed in Flash technology.

Rule 1. Do not use flash when you can meet the challenges of the site to more standard ways, within the established rules of design, etc.ehnology for this range of tasks. Visitors are not forced to install additional software on his computer because of your ignorance or incompetence in dealing with similar tasks simpler methods and technologies. For example, do not use flash when you need soundPrice pressing to do a little animation, text effects, and do what the power DHTML.

Rule 2. Do not open new window for your Flash site. You used to close a popup window advertising long before they are loaded. If thes so it should be open, to keep him out of status line, and the navigation controls (buttons of the state of the window, etc.).

If you need to design a space of two bars on the screen 20 pixels each, be sure to provide your visitors all the poteryannymi functions to your browser interface.

Rule 3. In the new interface for your Flash-«browser» Do not forget to add the button «close window», the window with the percentage of the downloadable file (preferably in kilobaytnom equivalent to userгадал or not it is 5 MB to it being loaded or has us hung).

Rule 4. By creating a design of your interface, do not forget its active elements to perform color different from all other elements and colors to show changes in their SOStoyaniya (clicking, dragging). Ideally, to provide the appropriate cursor prompts encountered when crossing the active areas, and giving the user information about what happens when it is further activated. The transition from block to block your site to keep you employed atearly color schemes, not forcing the visitor to learn all over again.

Rule 5. If your site is large enough, break it into blocks, each open a new section of your site in the next (or current) window, change in address ofitsy block. This allows your visitors to put a bookmark in it the necessary space for your site and return to them repeatedly, passing all the pre-loaded units.

Rule 6. Maximally Minimize time module loading site --Try not to overload the interface elements completely, load them poblochno, where the request has already been loaded in the shell interface of the site. Shell site, try to write in a separate file that you move to another block of the site took its podgruzka of the browser cache.

& nbsp; Rule 7. creating fully multimedia website, please keep in mind that videos can be viewed at the office where you Techno sound undesirable, warn your users in advance of the sound effects and give him the ability to quickly turn off the sound, providing an interfacesite clear and easily found the appropriate icon. Ideally, it would be good to allow the man to turn off the sound to download video. Sounds off, do not forget that duplicate titles audio messages on your site.

Rule 8.
Rule 9. Save time in theashego visitors, loading large files from outside. Actively using the system font, makes it possible to perform selection / copying or printing of large fragments of text. Do not use fonts smaller than 8 points, and colors, nekontrastnye with the background.

& nbsp; Rule 10. Put on the first page of a script that would load version of the site is to permit the display of your visitors. Use the% ratio by setting the size of the window site. Do not frighten him shestipunktovymi fonts, and 80% empty space around the window with the information.

Rule 11. Remember: you came to the site did not have fun with the new interface, and not explore it, and to work - ie, to perform the tasks for which the site is (for example, find all the information on a given topic, to buy a, and t.etc.).