Simplicity or How Flash Is Ruining My Experience
Why is it that when I need to write a quick message, my writing application gets in the way? I click on Word (for Mac), and the Project Gallery comes up asking me if I want to do any number of tasks. These tasks on the first screen ask me if I want to create an Excel Document, a Word Document, etc. Don’t I already know? Didn’t I click on Word? Why ask for confirmation?
Now, Scoble will tell you that the Project Gallery will provide you with more features. And he’s right, it will. I have no problem with it as it stands; I take issue with it being turned on by default. Most people just want to jot something down, not create a daily planner or any number of other templates available. Keep them available, just don’t show me them the first time I turn on the program.
This is good advice for Microsoft, but it is even better advise on the web. People come to a site and make a decision as to whether or not it is worth their time in a manner of microseconds. What does your homepage show? Go ahead look at it. Do you have a Flash intro? Is it really required? Is it the message you want to advertise to people? Does it make getting the information easier, more difficult, or just wastes time?
I’m not a huge fan of the Flash intro if you couldn’t notice. In many ways, it acts as the Project Gallery does – it gets in my way. I’m visiting a website for information, be it a description of some product or service, a review, or even a price. I’m not visiting to see how good a Flash animator that your company hired is. Generally, if I see Flash, I look for a skip intro link. Failing that, I find some other site. If you absolutely must have Flash movies, put them off to the side, so that those who want them can still get to them. Leave those of us whojust want to know about your stuff alone.