As a professional Flash user, it can sometimes be hard to define exactly what it is that I do. There’s a little bit of design, a little bit of animation, a little programming… somehow neither “web designer” nor “software developer” really suffice. After a quick look through the classified ads is likely to reveal opportunities for “Flash Guru”, “Flash Dude”, or “Rockstar Flash Developer”.
dispatchEvent()™
Collective thoughts on the Flash Platform, iOS, Unity, and any other technology we use.
Posted in July 2006 …
A lesson in Interface Design
by Mims H Wright
While riding the freight elevator up to my office (I’ve been meaning to lose some weight so I can use the normal one) I noticed the sixth floor button does not light up. When this first came to my attention, I tried pressing multiple times and even banging on it but the button remained eerily dark. I concluded that it might have been broken or perhaps that the sixth floor no longer existed. As I wondered uncomfortably, a curious thing happened – the elevator stopped at the sixth floor after all! I realized that it wasn’t the button but the indicator light on the button that was broken.
I feel that this story taught me a valuable lesson about what can happen when an interface fails to communicate with it’s client. Although I’ve learned from experience that the elevator is indeed going to my floor, there was a moment where I was not only uninformed but on some unconscious level confused, uncomfortable, and afraid. Let us all remember from this experience how important it is to provide feedback to the user!
Thank you.
Does the world really need one more Flash blog?
by Mims H Wright
Probably not but I won’t let that stop me. I hope to bring you some interesting insights on Flash and the interactive industry as well as some useful tutorials and discussions. Also, since I’ve been somewhat of a hermit, I aim to let you know more about who I am and hopefully garner industry recognition or even fame in the process!
I just set this up and things are going to look pretty bare until I get some time to make a pretty design and write a bio and link to your awesome website (send me an url).