3 Quick Questions: IAs’ learning Flash?
Welcome to the second installment of “3 Quick Questions”, where we ask CM’ers to answer three “top of mind” questions of interest to our readers. If there’s a particular topic you’d like us to tackle, leave us a comment or drop us an email.
This week, I asked three of our information architects, Scott Anderson, Cameron Ley and Laurence Lue about their efforts to learn Flash, the implications for their work and (the age old question about the future of IA’s tools (which they handily avoid …).
Why are information architects learning Flash?
Cameron: The rich online experiences that are being created today require information architects to think beyond wire frames. While those documents still serve a very important purpose, they fall down when trying to describe the interaction design of a page or interface. Of course, it isn’t impossible to describe the interactions using standard documentation – it just takes much more time to carefully detail the interaction and exceptions using static wire frames and annotations. With flash, you can design and demonstrate how you envision the user interacting with it much more efficiently and effectively. For information architects who prefer to work visually, it can become their primary tool.
Scott: Motion and animation have tremendous ability to convey information to users during their interactions with an interface. Not only is it difficult to capture motion in static documentation and prototypes, but IAs need to become aware of its full potential so they can bring its richness to the very first stages of the design process. There is no better way to learn about the possibilities of incorporating motion for IA than to get their hands dirty by prototyping interfaces with Flash.
Lawrence: For me, it’s about getting a better sense of the capabilities of rich media online and expand on the types of interactions we’re familiar with. Can’t forget about being able to do cool motion graphics work!
Where do you see the greatest opportunities to apply your new skills?
Scott: Primarily, rapid prototyping of animated interfaces, before beginning production work with motion designers. Then over time, with greater involvement with the motion design community, IAs will learn more about how animated interactions should and should not be used in an interface.
Cameron: I see three main areas.
First, it is an excellent brainstorming tool. Being able to actually use a barebones interface while you are designing it is a very effective way to work. Problems can be spotted quicker, and also ideas can be generated, tested, and implemented on the fly.
Second, it is a much better way to present designs to clients. With static pattern based wire frames created with a program such as Visio, it can be difficult to guide the client through an experience that is really meant to be interactive. Using flash, we can show them rather than describe it to them.
Third, it can be used during testing phases of a project where changes are occurring rapidly. Being able to implement user feedback after it is collected will allow us to retest with the updates much quicker.
Lawrence: As an IA, it helps to have a sense of the capabilities of Flash when considering user experiences/interactions in rich media applications and identifying opportunities where rich media may be more appropriate than, or can supplement, traditional HTML/CSS.
So what’s the next valuable IA tool after Flash? Is it a rich media tool or something completely different?
Lawrence: I’m not sure I’d call Flash an IA tool, so I don’t know if I quite understand your question. And I’m not even sure what I’d call an IA tool… but in the context of the Web and from a technology standpoint, I think learning more about any of the technologies involved in shaping online experiences or communicating online are valuable. Among these (and I’m sure I’m missing some) I’d include RSS, AJAX, CSS, XML, Accessibility, and Web standards. I’d also include CRM systems and how they can be used to personalize and target messaging on and off-line. (Lots of acronyms, eh?) Basically the idea of really knowing the medium we work within.
Scott: No idea – right now I have my hands full carving out the time I need to learn Flash, and getting involved in the right sorts of projects, when it might mean a change from the IAs traditional role.
Cameron: I don’t think we should be thinking about what the next tool is, but rather what the next set of challenges will be. The challenges and shifts in the practice will define the tool we feel need. Luckily, Flash is a powerful, flexible tool. So with hard work and training by IAs, it will be able to shift with us.
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I’ve never considered using Flash to pull together a prototype given the investment of time to design, set actions, key frames, objects, blaa blaa blaa.
What’s your opinion of Axure for such tasks? I use it, but perhaps you see reasons it’s not good for IAs.
Hey Darrell
The last time I saw Axure, it was in version 3. At the time, I was a very strong Visio user and Axure left me a little cold. It wasn’t well suited to what I was doing in Visio at the time, never mind working on Rich Internet Applications.
Things change with time, however. I’d be curious to hear what IAs’ have to say about version 4 Pro, especially for use designing Rich Internet Applications.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi Darrell,
I wouldn’t use Flash for a full protype, certainly – what I meant (and should have said a little more clearly) was more along the lines of prototyping page elements that use motion – such as sliding navigation, dynamically expanding and collapsing content, login that rolls down out of a header, etc. Thanks for calling that out.
Earlier this year I spent some time playing with Intuitect, which easily generates HTML prototypes based on wireframes, but I found the Visio add-ons difficult to use with the level of fidelity we require. (It would be ideal for putting together a simple hierarchical site though.) There was definitely a lot of potential there, so it’s worth having a look at the latest version.
Regards,
Scott
Dave:
I’ve used Visio quite a bit over the years (and still use it), but I never got a lot out of it outside of wireframes and sitemapping. What add-ons would I need to do some prototyping?
As for Axure, I’d be very interested what you folks think of the newest version. I can’t help but wonder if I’m totally missing something with Visio and giving too much to Axure.
Disclaimer: I don’t work for Axure nor do I receive any commissions.