Design› Miscellany
Instructional flash guides
*Ever since I first noticed them, I’ve been fascinated by instructional flash tours. What I mean specifically, is a timeline based piece of work that aims to explain, reveal or guide the user through new concepts. Usually, it’s presented as a smaller part of a larger document space, e.g. embedded on a traditional website page.
Focussed, not immersive
It differs from familiar flash implementations which attempt to create a complete environment, immersing the user fully into the interface. Weiden+Kennedy is a prime example, which is easier to implement solely in a Flash programming environment.
A bit like TV, a bit like a PowerPoint
Skype educational movies by Albion
Instead, these are discrete pieces. At their best, simple animation techniques and a familiar sounding voiceover can charm the user. I recently discovered that the cheeky Skype educational guides were created by Albion London, who’s light hearted comic touch brings them to life. It could have so easily been another dull “software wizard”.
Instead, it’s reminiscent of Willow the Wisp due to the quirky characters and friendly children’s show voiceover. In fact, education and kids design seems to be one of Albion’s strengths.
Unfortunately they’ve hidden or removed the ‘Hello’ tour in flash which used to be easily accessible on the Skype site, but luckily you can see it here.
Organisation through time
What makes these different from a straight animation is that they offer a sequence of discrete messages, collected together in one main concept. Skype’s tour explains the product, taking the user through key features that differentiate them from competing telephony technology. And it’s done skillfully.
Interactivity and user journey
Transport for London
What happens when you add interactivity? Transport for London encouraged Oyster card users to register their card by enticing them to their site for a free ITunes download (original here). It seems like they had an overly complex set of questions and scenarios for their users. Perhaps the best way to spend this budget would be on IA for their current user journeys. It’s an elegant band aid nevertheless.
A friendly presenter
Adobe Systems
Adobe’s take on this is full blown video mixed with animated screens of their products. There’s a friendly presenter for each flash guide and they inhabit a virtual Adobe world (original here).
There may or may not be a required action at the end of the tour, and there doesn’t have to be interactivity while it’s playing, but the designer is challenged with organising information and carrying conveyed messages through time from one “scene” to another.
Mixed skills required
Could this be a sub-discipline of digital design? This isn’t the same as TV, a CD-ROM, PowerPoint presentation or a website. It’s something different. They follow their own particular set of presentation and organisational rules. When compared to CD-ROMs, it’s a bit like comparing a newspaper feature article with a blog post. These guides are much shorter events with a simpler set of messages delivered in an instructional tone of voice.
The reason this could be considered a seperate discipline within digital design is that these guides bring together skills not previously combined: organising complex information, storyboarding, script writing, animation, transition, interactivity and user flow. It could be the only area of digital design where these are combined in a focussed way.
Post a comment
* Required fields