[thelist] Jakob Nielsen [was Anti-aliasing]

[dan donaldson]

On Wednesday, February 27, 2002, at 02:13  PM, Luther, Ron wrote:

> Here's a slightly different take. I'd like to have and learn Flash here
> at the office in order to IMPROVE "usability". ... albeit a slightly
> different kind of "usability".
>
> I'm in an intranet reporting enviroment here.  Some of the reports I
> build have some fairly sophisticated business applications.  I can
> write instructions until I'm blue in the face ... but if I could add a
> 'step-by-bleeding-step' "how-to" Flash animation off to the side of the
> on-line documentation I think it would better communicate to the
> users ... and *improve* the "usability" of the reports.  {Pretty
> similar to the 'how to use your new model cell phone animations'.}
>
> It's not likely in view of current budgetary restrictions, but I think
> the documentation-enhancement potential or 'teaching' aspects of Flash
> could have a lot of value and "usability".
>

Have you considered using Quicktime screen captures? If what you're
trying to do is demonstrate an existing use of a web app or some such
situation, using SnapzPro is a fantastic, no-budget (except for the
completely worthwhile cost of registering SnapzPro) way to do so. I've
built whole courses out of this and it is a great way for people to
learn. Superior to Flash in that it takes no effort beyond performing
the actions required...

HTH

dan

<tip type="educational techniques" author="Dan Donaldson">

When you're trying to document the use of complex online applications,
sometimes a video demo is easier for users learning your system to
absorb than printed documentation. Capturing screen activity to a
Quicktime file is simple, and allows the material to be viewed again and
again, at the learner's convenience and pace. It also makes delivery of
the information simple, since the resulting Quicktime files are usually
small, and can be made available via network or on local media.

SnapzPro is an excellent utility for this purpose, for Macintosh.
</tip>