[thelist] flash accessibility/usability

[martin.p.burns at uk.pwcglobal.com]

Memo from Martin P Burns of PricewaterhouseCoopers

-------------------- Start of message text --------------------



To:    thelist at lists.evolt.org
ubject:     RE: [thelist] flash accessibility/usability


>>so why's the html version relegated to being the red-headed step-child?

>My working theory, which seems to be supported throughout this
>thread, is that some visitors prefer something that looks "cool" and
>has a bit of "zip" -

Some do. But are they the ones who return again and again? Are they
the ones who form relationships with your client? Are they the ones who
make the client money?

FWIW direct marketing (which is the bit of marketing which actually *does*
answer the old marketing question "50% of my spend is wasted, but
*which* 50%) says "Fire your non-profitable (viewed on a long-term
basis) customers"

>and others don't care about how the information
>is presented, they just want to read and maybe even don't like Flash.

You mean 'or', not 'and', right?

>So when giving visitors a choice it makes sense to me to spend more
>of the budget in the design of the verion intended for those that
>will appreciate the design.

No, it makes sense to spend more budget on the version which provides
better RoI. More usable sites generally provide this.

>My experience has been that Flash websites get more visitors. I've
>even done a redesign on a website that went from 100% Flash to 100%
>HTML/bitmap graphics - and in hindsight, I still believe the HTML
>version is designed better. Yet hits went down with the HTML revision

Interestingly, I've done sites which went the other way, and had the
number of repeat visitors (and particularly *valuable* repeat visitors)
go through the roof. 'Hits' is a particularly non-useful stat.

>So your real gripe is with particular Flash developers/designers and
>not Flash in general ... what's the use of identifying a group of
>"bad Flash developers/designers" ... shouldn't your gripes be
>directed at "bad designers/developers" and leave the fact that
>they've displayed their ineptitude through Flash as a footnote?

If the tool makes it easy for inept developers, and so hard for good
ones that the claimed good Flash uses are so rare as to be almost
invisible, then that *is* an issue with the tool.

Cheers
Martin


--------------------- End of message text --------------------

This e-mail is sent by the above named in their
individual, non-business capacity and is not on
behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

PricewaterhouseCoopers may monitor outgoing and incoming
e-mails and other telecommunications on its e-mail and
telecommunications systems.
----------------------------------------------------------------
The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to
which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
material.  Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited.   If you received
this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any
computer.