Using Flash

After we learned about flash, I stopped by the futures lab the other day to try and get better at this flash business. It was extremely difficult, but it was worthwhile, because I learned of different ways of making rollover graphics. I am very much going to try to include a flash component in my website.

Ever since I was in college, I recall it was 1998, I was engaged in some kind of online website activity. And ever since, design has been of a very important factor for me when I look at websites. The basic dreamweaver page, although effective, has not been appealing to me at all because it showed lack of effort. I think flash is very important in terms of design, because its size stays the same, it does what it's supposed to do, and basically helps design in a million ways.

However, I think one should be more careful when using flash in journalism, because one could be more focused on how a story looks than what a story has to offer. I think one good example was the parking meter article. Although the subject itself was interesting, I think by using flash and putting too much effort to make it look better, the creator might have overlooked some aspects that could have been better. It would be the same goal for me, to use flash in a way to supplement my story, not become the focus of the story.

Flash

Flash Journalism fresh prospect for online journalism with many possibilities and applications for informational sites.  Rollover info-graphics, creative ads, slideshows, buttons, the options seem endless.  Flash improves both aesthetics and functionality of websites creating a more effective journalistic package.

Flash can engage the viewers senses while allowing for a interactive experience that they will not find in other forms of media such as television.  The audience can also provide feedback and interact with other users fairly easily if the program is implemented correctly.  In addition to that, the article emphasizes adaptivity and modifiability that can easily take place through those who run the site.

However, there needs to be a balance between flash graphics and information, too many graphics can hinder the overall effectiveness of the site and the host could lose users in a maze of interactivity.  The purpose of the site could be lost to fancy gizmos.

Overall, Flash is something that deserves a good look for any journalist wanting a top-tier site.

Flash Journalism

I don't understand Flash, but I appreciate its usefulness in helping people understand a story.  Our reading says, "Journalism, when done right, helps us understand the world.  Sometimes animation provides the best way to tell a story, to make it easy to understand."  This refers to animated infographics and comes after a section that talks about USA Today's interactive graphic after the space shuttle Columbia exploded.  In that case, the graphic didn't necessarily explain why the explosion happened, but it did give a visual representation of what happened.  Sometimes, text is not enough to understand a story, and Flash helps in that understanding.  Whether it is a slideshow or an animated graphic, readers and viewers have to use more senses, making them more engaged in the story.

Finding the Balance

I think Flash is a great tool to utilize in a webpage. It gives the reader a sense of connection to the story, instead of allowing them to read without actually comprehending what they're reading throughout the process. It's like in class, when a teacher is lecturing but has given out the powerpoint slides or the notes or whatever beforehand, so the students don't have to actively participate. We completely zone out and do other things. Interactive graphics not only force the reader to pay attention, but they're also entertaining. It's a more exciting way to receive the information than just reading it in paragraph or bullet form, and I feel like it sticks with me better because I actually payed attention to what I was doing and remember what I clicked on or rolled over to view which piece of information.
Howerever, I do think there has to be a balance. The information can't be complicated or confusing or put in a weird formation, even if that way looks more creative. If a user can't make sense of the graphic then it's not going to do them any good to have it in front of their face.

Flash Gordon... er Journalism

The greatest danger Flash poses to delivering information is implied in its name. Flash is nothing but an extra dazzle. Flash content should not be thought of as a standalone element unless it contains the actual text for the story.

Another reason Flash should be used sparingly is that the text in Flash, although can be set to selectable, is usually not if animated or used dynamically. Also, as an swf, search engines like Google cannot crawl or cache text from your site if it is in the swf. This severely limits your traffic and therefore results in less readership.

The most important thing about using Flash is to use it in a way that is not annoying. If the display makes it harder or more convoluted for the reader to get information, then it is not worth using. I personally like to use Flash to explain a process or instructions that are particularly complex. A moving diagram or chart that is meant to be a visual in the first place is often served well with added Flash capability.

My business deals a lot in Flash, especially in internet advertising. It is best used for those block elements: sidebars, infographs, slide shows, etc. That way it is set aside as a supplemental piece instead of integral to the article, which it shouldn't be. And the reader will know.

Flash improves journalism

Flash is a helpful tool a lot of people can utilize on the internet. I come from a world of visuals. Being a designer, I immediately look for some visual element to any story I read or write, it's just a part of my nature. That's why I like Flash. It gives another layer to journalism by giving a resource to those of us who learn from a visual point-of-view. Being able to use an interactive map can help a person better understand a story and implications on their life. We learn through a variety of ways, and some people are very turned off by a large swath of text. It's like a textbook. People will skip straight over something if it doesn't appeal to them. Flash breaks up the monotony of text and draws a reader in.

But beware of Flash. With the opportunity for visual storytelling, stories can often become convoluted and sensationalized. I feel like people with jazz up a story visually, but that sometimes takes the point of the story out of context. We, as journalists, are obligated to truth (or so Kovach and Rosenstiel say :]). So it's important to do all designing and Flash in the framework of the story itself. Another pitfall of Flash is the tendency to have a graphic overshadow the story itself. Flash is a means to enhance a story, not take away from it.

All in all, Flash proves to be an important tool of journalism if properly applied.

Flash: Uncovering the Layers - Tomeka Weatherspoon

The Internet allows journalists can create layers in their work, allowing for a new kind of depth. Implementing Flash into the stories encourages interactivity for readers. The reader must physically work to uncover all of the story’s contents. I’m not sure what long-term effects programs like Flash will have on stories. 

Right now, development gives the audience something to do rather than just stare at a computer screen. Like with video games and television, flash encourages people to be more engaged in the story. However, also like with video games and television, it has the potential to have unexpected effects on Internet storytelling.

Flash

I think Flash journalism is an great asset to the web.  People love to interact with websites. They like having that sense of control over their experience and it makes them feel a part of what's going on, causing them to stay at the site longer.  The key is that the graph creator must design the graphic to make it enhance the user's experience, not detract from it by making it unclear to the point where the user leaves the entire site frustrated.  The user shouldn't have to put forth too much effort.  The instructions should be clearly and concisely included near the graphic.  The user should be able to to easily discern whether he or she needs to move the mouse over the area, click, or what exactly needs to be done to get the information.

There definitely seems to be places where it is appropriate however.  The graphic should have a specific purpose and shouldn't just be included simply because its a cool feature or fun to make. I think they can be very creative, but should only be included if the creator is going to put one hundred percent effort into making it. 

Flash Journalism!

I really, really like flash journalism! I think it's becoming more and more popular and for good reason. It lays out the ideas in a more clear (depending on how you do it) and memorable way..as long as it's used properly and for the right stories and information. I think it gives website a more professional look. 

The only think I wasn't a huge fan of was figuring out the program. But I think with practice and patience it will come easier! I've always wondered how they put together those graphics on websites.. and now I know. 

Flash Graphics...Great, But Not for Me

I was relatively surprised in a way by the easiness of putting flash graphics on a webpage, but it also was very particular in how you had to do it. They are a great way to get the reader to interact with the content and make a website more fun. There is also more to it than just making something pop up when someone points their mouse towards it. You have to be careful not to cover something else up and that the information goes correctly with your graphic.
Someone brought up a great point in class about what situations you should use a graphic like this and when a map, chart, or simple list would do the job just as well. I think the best time to use this type of graphic is with something like a map or spacial layout because it allows you to look specifically at one thing and keep looking at the whole picture. It really is up to the journalist, but this type of graphic is great at getting the reader to interact with the website and learn about the content in a different way.

Flash Graphics - Kate Chizek

As I look at national and local websites, interactive graphics hook me in. Can I get in and out of the website quickly, but yet still take something away? I think the answer comes down to these "infotoys" as Quealy calls it in his article ": Infographics and Datatoys: Dissecting the purpose of interactivity in Online Journalism." While, I agree with him that analysis is still important, we live in such an interactive world where people need their news NOW! If there is something interactive to draw them in, maybe they will stay on your website longer or at least remember what they saw and share with friends.

As long as they are simple and not too chaotic, I think they serve their purpose. You don't want to confuse the reader by trying to pile up too much information within a graphic. Restrain is key. I completely agree with Quealy that too much information is exactly that . . . TOO MUCH!! It can frustrate the viewer. I think that shows amateur graphic design ability. I am actually working on a interactive infographic for another class, and this is my top fear. I have a lot of information to present, but I am still trying to reduce it down, so you can learn what I want you to learn but not be overwhelmed!

The recent presidential election coverage was made much more interesting with the use of graphics to say who won which state, by how many votes, etc. But I think one important thing I drew from Quealy's article was to make sure your "infotoy" is appropriate to your topic. If it doesn't fit, don't try and make it!

Nate Birt - Flash journalism - Nov. 20

Flash journalism is absolutely the future, or at very least one of the stepping stones to getting there.
I have heard numerous people in positions of authority — people who have the power to hire — say that knowing Flash is such a great skill to have in today's job market.
There is so much potential, and it seems as though so few news organizations are using it, even though it has been around for some time. It could be used to present stories in a way that engages the reader, and doesn't just feed them information. Instead, Flash feeds on the notion that readers/viewers/listeners are bent on seeking out information for themselves. Ideally, Flash gives these people the tools for enlightenment.
That's probably a bit idyllic, but that's how I feel about it, and I'm excited to learn more about this program next semester. It would be fun to work for a newspaper and use this to make people feel more informed.
This could have worked well in the recent Missourian story about the man who was Tasered off a bridge. It might be interesting to track the people at various points in time. One might build an interactive timeline showing what happened at Point A, Point B and so on. One might also incorporate audio from the scene.

Good Design

According to John Tollett and Robin Williams' article on design, there are four basic ideas that can help a design novice attain a semblance of expertise on a subject that takes many years to develop and perfect for professional designers.  Those ideas make up the acronym C.R.A.P. or "crap!" as Lynda and Karen call it.

Contrast is the first design idea in the acronym.  Contrast is a tricky thing to work out because it doesn't apply to most situations on a web page.  Designers implement contrast to catch the reader's eyes and direct them toward the meat of the story, i.e. the main material or information in the article.  The idea is to create a so-called "focal point" somewhere at the head of the presentation and use that point to help the reader identify what the goal or focus of the presentation is.  It can throw a consumer of information off if size and other elements are off, throwing their focus to another less important part of the page.  It's imperative to make sure that pages aren't cluttered.  A well-contrasted page will create a hierarchy of information, from the headline, to the article or information itself, to the links and secondary features.

Repetition is the restatement of certain elements within a page, such as repeating a color scheme or a particular font.  The point of Repetition is to tie the entire piece together and make it uniform and easy to follow.

Alignment is the unifying force within a web page.  New designers will often organize their information, links and headlines in a centered fashion that conveys no particular order of importance within the piece.  The idea is to make all text aligned together, preferably on the left, so the page will not look cluttered or unprofessional.  Alignment helps the presentation be organized and projects a certain sophistication.

Finally, Proximity has to do with the relationships two or more items develop when they are close to each other.  Intentional or not, this conveys a general sense of relativity between the two items.  For instance, headlines should be attached to their text as opposed to hovering a space above.  Space should serve a purpose, to detach information from other pieces of information, and not be random.  The goal of Proximity should be to create a unified piece.

The next time I'm working on a web page of my own, I will be considering C.R.A.P. and all of its implications.

Good vs. Bad Design

The most important thing in making a web page seems to be to make it professional looking so that viewers will see it as a credible source of information.  Each bad design offense takes away from the overall credibility of the site.  Something as simple as all-caps text, unncessary line breaks, or bad spelling and grammar can make a big difference.  Likewise, a link that doesn't work, or using straight quotes in a graphic, or making the viewer scroll sideways could make the viewer second guess your professionalism.

These readings offer valuable information to keep in mind.  I didn't realize that it's bad to even have a centered title and flush left text.  Everything should have the same alignment.  As far as proximity, if two items are close they appear to have a relationship.  It is important not to orphan items or make them have inappropriate relationships that don't make sense. Repetition is key to consistency.  It seems to be one of the most important things as far as unifying your website and making strong web pages.  Contrast pulls your eyes in and makes you move them around the page.  A focal point is also key. Something needs to be the boss.  Size can help make this clear, with all other things subordinate to the focal point.  

The checklist at the end of Chapter 6 and the "so-much-better" checklist at the end of Chapter 8 are great to focus on when making your page.  The "not-so-good" checklist at the end of Chapter 8 is also perfect for making sure you avoid the negatives for your pages.

The Power of White Space

Something I wasn't privy to beforehand is just how important alignment is to good design. For instance, the ugliness of center alignment is extremely obvious when put adjacent to a navigation bar that is justified left. I think the main reason for this is justifying the text to the leftmost edge is the most efficient use of white space possible.

White space (or whatever background color) is important because it is the common denominator that is most visible. Depending on the amount of raw white space, a page can look empty, cluttered, sophisticated, or chaotic. Leaving some white space is important so the viewer's eyes aren't strained.

Good design is also dependent on symmetry, repetition, and a common interface that is recognizable throughout the pages. If white space is incredibly different from page to page, it will be visually jarring. I personally prefer a minimalistic design that favors simplicity and sophistication, which mean more white space. The whole tone of the page can be changed with the placement of the dominant element and how the dominant element is framed. I've noticed that bad design has the dominant element closely packed with other columns and pictures and text. It is better if you give the dominant element some breathing room for easy readability.

checklist

I felt that the checklist posted at the end of the Good & Bad Design reading was one of the most helpful, applicable parts of the reading. It kind of summed up what you should and shouldn't do when you're putting together a Web page. What I essentially got out of the reading was that a Web site's design should be based on both function and accessibility. It should be set up to serve the visitor and make it easy for them to access and use all content on the page, as well as move around the site easily. Design should also be pretty simple, allowing for a lot of space. This reading reminded me of Jakob Lodwick. He's a computer programmer responsible for businesses/Web sites like collegehumor.com and bustedtees.com, and used to be really into blogging (who's made fun of quite a bit on Valleywag!). He's always stressed simplicity; how so many Web sites have bought into flashy banners, complicated functions and busy designs, but how that actually makes a site less presentable and hard to read. I've noticed that I love using applications/Web sites with simple designs
Also, I cracked up at little lines like "Oh my gawd. If you're going to set type really little, PLEASE don't make it italic." Cute. Haha.

Ramblings from a designer

A design student myself, I notice a lot of good/bad designs in my daily life while surfing the web. It's a pretty well-known fact that if a site is poorly designed, it attracts less people. If the colors aren't eye-catching, there's no creativity, loads of text, it's a turn off. The saying "less is more" definitely applies to design, as far as I'm concerned. The purpose of design is to compliment and highlight the content, not distract from the content. I've learned this when I designed for newspapers and my high school yearbook.

One good example of web design is in a website called zipatoni.com. The website is dedicated to the Zipatoni business, an advertising agency in St. Louis. Immediately, I was attracted by the design. It is not cluttered, and relies on a simple color scheme, yellow and black. This fulfills the idea of contrast. The words are offset by the stark black background. There are few distracting pictures, allowing the viewer to solely focus on the message of the website. I was impressed by the easy-to-navigate site layout. I could find everything I wanted to know about the company quickly and effectively. I hope to incorporate some of the design on zipatoni.com into my convergence.

Good and Bad Design

I suppose I've always noticed when a website is set up in a "user-friendly" style so that I am able to find my way around it with a limited amount of stress. I've also noticed when a website is really bad, or very basic. But I never really thought much about it, besides being appreciative that my task was made a little easier or annoyed that I had to spend hours searching or finding another website. After reading the chapters and discussing design in class, I now find myself picking every website I come to apart, asking myself if I like or dislike things about it, what seems to be the most user friendly way to do things, or how I would change certain aspects. You have officially ruined my casual web browsing. Thanks.
The biggest thing I've noticed is that simplicity seems to be the best way to go about things. Even the readings suggest that. You can make something look cool, but still keep it basic and probably end up with more people viewing your site because they don't have to hunt for things, or can easily move from page to page and follow the flow of information. I also noticed that a lot of what the book suggests and what I notice seem like they shouldn't have to be pointed out. Things need to line up on the page, don't pick colors that won't contrast, etc, etc. Part of me doesn't understand how someone could make a website and think that doing the opposite of some of these things is ok, even without any training. But I suppose creative genius can't be questioned. Until their business/organization/whatever gets no support because no one can figure out the website.

No joke --- If you have poor website design, I am less likely to return!

As we started talking about website design on Tuesday, I immediately thought of my job this summer; as an intern at a broadcast consulting agency, it was my job to go to stations' websites and finds video clips to digitize and investigative story ideas. While it was kind of fun to surf around the web and see what stations were doing around the country, I quickly came to a conclusion. On many websites, it was impossible to find the link to videos! Often, it would be hidden in page after page. But with time constraints on me, I couldn't always waste time searching for the video - I needed it fast. After all, broadcast stations BROADCAST video on TV. Shouldn't it be easy to find this video on their websites? I quickly found which sites to ignore and which sites I could trust to help me in my task. What did this all boil down to? GOOD DESIGN! These clips would be digitized and send to our clients across the country, but if I couldn't find your clips, you missed out a great marketing technique. Without efficient and "CRAP" design, these news stations missed out!

In reading the excerpts from "How to Recognize Good and Bad Design," I found one statement I particularly agreed with. DON'T MAKE ME SCROLL FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. My usage of computers has always taught me to scroll up to down, and I may miss out on vital information if you make your website scroll sideways as well. I agree with what Daryl said in her post about her 4802 website being amateur. Mine definitely was as well! I would like to get better with my use of design, but there is one especially nice thing about living in 2008 - there are professionals that companies can hire out to assist them in making professional design. I know my design wasn't professional, but maybe I could hire someone out for a better grade . . . ? Just kidding.


While I agree simple design is almost better (for navigation reasons) and following CRAP is important, I will always love the in depth design of Newsmap (http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm). Each story is sized based on it's importance and color coded based on what topic it falls under. Clicking on a story links you to another page, and I love their use of color. (I am a color fanatic!) Viewers can even change the layout from "squarified" to standard. I just love the interactiveness of the website, I always go back because it is easy to understand.

That's the key - do you want Kate Chizek to look at your website? Then make it easy to understand, easy to find what I am looking for, and a little bit colorful. It will keep me coming back!

It seems good design is now back to being simple

After seeing website design examples and applying concepts in class and after reading chapters written by Robin Williams and John Tollet, I guess I began thinking about good and bad design every time I entered a website. As very reader-friendly and helpful the chapters were, I would like to emphasize one aspect of design I think is most important today: simplicity.

I believe that web users of the 21st century are more familiar with different functions and gadgets of a website than ever. They are pretty aware of what they might have to do next in order to retrieve the information that they want. I think that is why well-made websites these days tend to have portal – sort of like a huge door around a castle wall – for their websites; and the thing is, they have to simple to catch the eyes of the visitors.

News websites, since they have to carry a lot of information from the very start, do not seem to put simplicity first. However, I think as people become more and more familiar with the web environment, the news website will try to evolve into a simpler one. One great example I think is a website called www.mediastorm.com. This is a website of compilation of different video/photo/slideshow projects, and their website is very simple: A menubar at the top that repeats itself throughout and just five or six photos that are representative photos of projects. The black background and photos, although they do not show much of a contrast, works rather fine because it does not eat up the whole page from side to side. One more thing I like about this website is that it does not require people to scroll down for more information. I think as people now know that they have to click on a menu to find something that they want, this user-unfriendly but simple website can be the answer for a very well designed website for the contemporary world, not to mention the future. I just hope that I can pull something like this off to satisfy the needs of many web surfers out there, but still being able to give them a notion that my website holds a lot of information.

Space management

The most prolific issue in web design is utilizing space properly. The best websites provide their content in a well organized manner. They take advantage of all the space available on the page, whether it is used for providing information or advertising. An excellent example of web design is ESPN.com. The world-wide leader in sports boasts an excellent web page.
ESPN.com has their top stories accompanied by a photograph. They also have a video with one their anchors reading a package about the top story of the day. This is called the Sportscenter minute. The sports center contains the only recognizable flaw that we have addressed in class. The Sportscenter minute plays automatically upon visiting the site. ESPN.com is easy to navigate. It has links to coverage of each sport as well as fantasy sports. The website provides interactivity with one poll on the main page. It also has its own section for polls called sports nation.
On the flip side, one of the worst websites I have seen was the Columbia Tribune’s website. Their website was filled to the brim with white space. Their content was condensed into a narrow space that was centered on the page. The positive of the Tribune’s page was that it was easy to navigate. It had a list of Associated Press stories and a list of local stories.
In conclusion, web design boils down to one crucial factor. That one crucial factor is space management. Space management makes the difference between the world wide leader in sports and a small town paper still lagging in convergence content.

My Page Had the Tale-Tell Signs of a Beginner

         I can honestly say that with only one semester of convergence almost under my belt, I feel more confident with more multi-media equipment than I ever thought I would use.  The website aspect is still my nemesis because it's such unknown territory for me.  One challenge I am honestly not looking forward to designing the website for our group project, and from reading the two chapters, I know there have been some things I've done wrong, but also what I can do to get better.

The four main points of good website design are contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity.   Although I never thought of these while I was starting my first site, these are definitely elements I will keep in mind for my next site.  After reading these chapters, I took the time to take a look at some news websites to see how they were set up and how viewer friendly they were.  The main thing I noticed was consistency on the variety of pages the news organizations had.  Across the board, no matter how deep you went into the website, the main logo and the main choices remained constant.  I would like to have this same element on our page because it's a website standard and it looks very professional.

It's my goal to combine all the elements to create a uniform, but creative medium site for viewers that both pulls them in and informs them without boring them.  One of the main things I can do now is consult with seasoned convergence students to accomplish my creative goals, and not get discouraged when something doesn't come out just right!

Simple is Best - Tomeka Weatherspoon

I think there is a tendency to overdue Web page formatting because we live in such a highly visual culture. Things that capture our attention are visually pleasing, even entertaining. In the design process, it’s tempting to overdo the 'decorations.' When I was making my first Web page, I feared it would be too boring. Viewers naturally wouldn’t pay attention to the content because the page was too dull.

But being sophisticated doesn’t always mean being boring. Being simple and clear doesn’t mean unattractive. Not always.

Playing around on Dreamweaver, I tried to organize things out in unique ways. Then I'd always go back to a more simple layout. I found that it's easier and more appealing when the viewer doesn't have to try to understand the mechanics of your Web page. If they come to the site for information, it's best to give it to them in the way that is most clear. The page will end up looking tidy and professional. It can have some special design elements, but too much tends to make the viewer question the credibility of your information.