Interface Usability
by Merien Q. Kunst

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Conclusion: the Flash Experience

This tutorial has addressed only a few of the many topics that are relevant to Flash developers who care about the user friendliness of their creations. Although some may be very obvious, this is no guarantee that they aren’t easily overlooked. Flash has become so versatile that it’s hard to tell people how they should use it, certainly because it is used for so many different goals. The focus of this article has been on the use of Flash as a tool for creating rather straightforward Websites. These are sites that want to inform, entertain and maybe even educate their visitors.

The most important thing to realize about Flash is that it really is just a tool. If you need to create something, first think about what you want to make, and think about how you’re going to realize it afterwards. It's bad practice to assume that Flash is such a cool program that it will be a good way to create anything you might conjure up. If the project has elements that would benefit from the features Flash offers, use it the best way possible - again, that doesn’t mean using all the imaginable tween effects you can think of, but it does mean thinking about the user experience you want to create.

That user experience is dependent on overall impression, entertainment value, ease of navigation, loading times and the sense of control by the visitor. These criteria pose quite a challenge to the best designers and developers. At times, it may be boring or frustrating to address these criteria, but in the long run it will make your Flash masterpieces more durable and appreciated.