From Apply Now,
Your Guide to Web Usability.
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Flash produces high quality visual designs and due to this, one of the first questions that often arise during website projects is: ‘Should Flash be used?’ There are many pros and cons associated with this and we will review each of these to help you decide if flash is the best option.

Pros:

• Rich Graphic Capabilities
  One of the main reasons websites use flash is because of the rich graphic capabilities. Features such as Photoshop integration, video and drawing tools are all available and can help build visually appealing, sophisticated and interactive site.


• Interactivity & Animation
  Flash can be used to create a range of interactive elements such as games, product demonstrations, advertising and more. These are great for engaging with visitors and if used well can improve the performance and traffic of a site.


• Standardized Site
  Websites built in Flash will look and feel the same in every browser they display, as these sites are fixed in the plug in, and will not adjust or change based on variations in the browser.

Cons:

• Poor Usability and Accessibility
  Although there have been attempts to improve the usability and accessibility of Flash there are still important areas in which it’s lacking, such as:
  • The text is fixed so users can not increase or decrease the size to improve the readability of the content.
  • Flash movies do not offer text alternatives which means they can not be read by visitors with visual impairments that rely on screen readers to interpret sites.
  • The back button, bookmarking, printing and scrolling have no effect in Flash and if users wish to travel through a site, they have to use the tools built into it.
  • Common web standards, such as links changing color to indicate when they’ve been visited, don’t work in Flash.


• Bandwidth and Load Time Constraints
  Websites built in Flash often take a long time to download which is a problem for those with slower connections. It is also a potential way of losing visitors as most users will not wait for the sites to download and will move on.


• Low Search Engine Rankings
  Most Search engines can not index content built into Flash sites, which mean they will not display in search engine results. This could be quite detrimental to your organization as more and more people rely on search engines to find the information they need.


• Flash Download
  To view Flash websites, users need to have Flash Player installed and if users do not have this they may not be willing to download it to simply view a site. It also requires an additional step and detour to Macromedia to download the application which is time spent away from your site which could be disadvantageous.

Summary:
What should drive your decision is an understanding of what you’re audience wants and what is necessary to communicate your brand. If a visually appealing and highly interactive site is important then Flash is the tool for you. However, if this is not one of your main priorities then it may be best to look at alternatives as there are still elements that could drive users away