Too Much Flashiness

My last Net Tips article on Flash 5 caused quite a stir, so this article clarifies some points and puts forward additional points of view.

I've had a couple of emails defending the use of Flash - it should be noted that I am not entirely against the use of Flash, just it's over-use. If you were to ask many websites "why do you use Flash", the common response is likely to be something like "because we can". I'm afraid that reason just doesn't wash with me.

Here are some of the reasons why I do not like the overuse of Flash:

• Text browsers and braille/speech browsers can not use the Flash files.
• Set-top Internet boxes, such as those used by ONdigital's ONnet service, only support earlier versions (v3).
• Flash introduces yet another component that could break (the website of Channel 4's entertainment channel, E4, has been known to crash browsers).
• Despite Macromedia making the format fairly open, it is still a proprietary standard.

For most sites, not using Flash won't make any difference, aside from faster loading times. Generally, navigation using Flash tends to be clumsy and difficult - designers tend to make menus appear and disappear. I've also seen sites where it isn't obvious where you should click. Bad navigation means that your visitors will turn around and flee - probably to your competitors.

I've created a general rule of thumb to judge where Flash is required:

If visitors to your site want to be entertained, then Flash is acceptable.  If visitors to your site want information, the Flash is not acceptable.

If you're running a music/TV site, your visitors will expect to be entertained - hence the use of Flash for the E4 site is fine (although I do think that their navigation system is a pain). If you're running an information site visitors want information. They don't want to spend ages watching a Flash intro screen or messing around with a bad Flash navigation system.

Before implementing Flash, think carefully about what benefit it will have to your visitors. Branding is increasingly important, however a Flash intro screen is more likely to turn people away than emphasise your brand.

Of course, there are exceptions. A well thought out Flash site can keep ease of use and compatibility while adding extra functionality to Flash users. The X-Files official site is an excellent example of this. It did uses standard HTML and images for navigation, while the centre of the front page uses a Flash animation to liven it up.