Back in the late-1990s, when Macromedia began to evolve its Shockwave Director product to Flash, early adopters created what is commonly known as the “splash page,” a bit of animated multimedia, often comprising sound as well as movement, that would precede the display of the home page. When done well, these splash pages established a tone, a brand, or underscored some of the key points that would be made within the context of the Web site.  IMA, along with many other developers, produced some outstanding examples of splash pages – including the page still in use at www.xyting.com. 

But these splash pages had – and still have – some significant user disadvantages. Despite Flash’s vector-based format, which makes the file sizes extremely small, download times on slower connections can still be an issue if the application is not properly developed. And users quickly tire of seeing the introduction each time they come to the site, particularly on sites that are used regularly. Take, for instance, the reaction of The Juilliard School staff members, who were constantly accessing their site. The original introductory Flash – and particularly the use of music – was considered essential for recruitment and branding purposes. But staffers, upon entering their site, were quick to click the mute button, simply because they were weary of listening to another repetition of Beethoven’s Fifth. Usability of splash pages required certain programmatic additions – the “skip this intro” button as well as the advanced “always skip” function, and the detection script that would divert non-Flash users past the introduction, or to a static page that simulated the introduction.  

But as more and more users could be expected to have the Macromedia plug-in on their desktops – it comes preloaded with all popular web browsers, and can be installed for free by for those users who do not already have it – the uses of Flash technology became more sophisticated and more integrated with the actual site. Flash is now the standard technology for Web-based multimedia, and is being used in a multitude of ways that go far beyond the “splash page.”
 
Building the Home Page
In many of our newest sites, we’ve begun to use Flash introductions within the context of the homepage framework, rather than as a stand-alone component of the site. This allows Web users to have the full animated experience, but does not delay their exploration of the rest of the site if they have seen the animation previously. 
 
In the Lenskold Group Web site, for instance, the Flash version of the home page builds in front of the user’s eyes, resolving to a slideshow of some key phrases. By the time the key phrases are onscreen, the user is able to access the navigation, and is not captive to the slide show. Yet the dynamic quality of the home page build still evokes the sense that the Lenskold Group is an innovator, completely in keeping with their sophisticated offering of marketing consultation.

Getnick & Getnick also uses this home page build technique highly successfully. A quick build highlights the high-quality image of Atlas in front of Rockefeller Center, and allows the user to then choose whether to linger on the page to read a quote by the firm’s senior partner, or immediately navigate to other sections.

Other sites use Flash animation even more subtly. In IMA’s recent rebuild of the Sussman Lifestyle Group’s site, Flash is used to showcase product and lifestyle imagery, in keeping with navigation choices. The Mason Gross School of the Arts homepage Flash movie brings up a variety of images of activities within their different academic departments, but the user can opt to navigate immediately past them. And the sites of JP Barry Hospitality follow a similar principle, offering gently dissolving images of hotel exteriors and interiors that show the high quality of accommodation, but do not distract the user from the main purpose of the home page, which is to serve as a portal to the internal sections.
 
Using Flash Within the Web Site
Integrating movement into the home page has become a standard -– introducing interactive elements further within the site, however, focused on a specific purpose, shows a more incisive adaptation of the technology. The real power of Flash animation, we feel, goes beyond the home page into a diverse variety of applications studded throughout the site. As Flash Action Scripting became more powerful (in the Flash 5 release), it became possible to build sophisticated interactive applications coupled with Flash's powerful animation features.
 
The JP Barry Hospitality sites mentioned above, for instance, use Flash not only to provide a guided tour through their hotels, but also to demonstrate event room floor plans interactively.  Animated floor plans zoom into place, with information regarding seating capacity and room dimensions. 

Another example is a Flash-driven interactive timeline now being developed for IATSE International. Spanning more than a hundred years, including more than a hundred images and data points, this application is a fusion of Flash and an Microsoft Access-driven database that will enable the client to maintain the timeline on an ongoing basis. 
 
And Flash can provide an attitude that more static presentations can’t approximate.  Take, for example, IMA’s own Web site (wholly created in Flash), that includes a glimpse of our busy offices on the Contact Us page and enables us to showcase our suite of software solutions in an animated fashion. Animation in the right context can make a significant difference to the presentation of ideas, as well as more strongly communicate conceptual messages.
 
Looking to the Future of Flash
There is no question that Macromedia Flash will maintain its position as a development standard for many years to come. With a 95% penetration rate, and a versatility that is unmatched in the integration of such tools and technologies as server-side programming languages, databases, XML, and audio and video, we feel that the industry has only begun to explore the potential of the tool.
 
Yet, as with any other technology, there needs to be a reason to adopt it. Macromedia Flash executives on their Web site speak of the future of rich Internet applications and their business impact – talking in terms of functionality, enriched user experience, and delivery against business goals. Working with a vendor such as IMA, there is an opportunity to make your site more dramatic, dynamic, and more functional for your users, and to translate these experiences into applications that showcase your experience, your offerings, and the services you provide.