Download - End-user programming and Flash
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End-user programming and Flash
Jen deHaan
Sr. Technical Writer
April 23rd 2006
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Overview
What is Flash?
What do you use Flash for?
Who uses Flash?
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Flash designers
Practice interactive and motion design
Use other design tools or motion design tools
Limited knowledge of code – they know what they “need” to know.
Copy or reuse code, use automated coding features
What do Flash designers create?
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Flash developers
Sometimes code using an external editor
Sometimes use design tools and features – but only to extract content
Sometimes create all-code projects
Complexity of applications range from small sites to enterprise-level applications
Integrate server technologies with Flash
Some developers might start to use Flex more
What do Flash developers create?
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“Jack of all trades”
Designer + developer: comfortable using design tools, animating, coding ActionScript
Expert at using Flash, and might be a vocal community member and help other users learn
What do these users create?
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Other users
Flash mobile designers Flash mobile developers Information architects Print designers Animators Flash game developers Videographers Graphic artists Education and training
material developers Addressing all of these
different audiences can be challenging
Flex helps move high-end developers to a different product
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Challenges
Designers making the jump from designing to writing code
Developers learning a visual/animation-based tool (the timeline, nesting objects, etc)
Supporting a vast audience with different needs for learning and using the tool
Ramp-up time to build a first project (learn concepts before using tools)
Mature program with a complex interface
Workflow between designer and developers, and cross-product. Example: automated code designers insert might not work well when sent to a developer – where to place code?
Ramp-up time for designers or new coders when using ActionScript
Reliance on Flash Player and browsers
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Helping users create: in product
There are several in-product features to help users program or create content. These features include those listed on the right.
Components
Script Assist
Behaviors (use, create, share)
Screens (Slides and Forms)
History panel (save actions)
JSFL
Effects and filters
Error reporting (compile time) and the debugger tool
Tooltips and code completion (code editor)
Help panel
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Helping users create: resources
Adobe creates or supports content for helping users learn how to create and program using Flash.
LiveDocs system (moderated online help)
Support site (TechNotes, Wishform, etc)
Web forums with moderation team
Developer Center / Design Center
Breeze presentations (live/recorded)
Official blogs (product and individual)
Training and certification
Support third party books and magazines
Adobe Labs
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Learning about user needs
Flash has tried to make programming easier. For example: Tools to help users program were created – “screens” and “behaviors”
instead of “Normal mode”.
Users demonstrated their need for “Normal mode” to assist in programming, which was reinstated in a later version (as Script Assist).
We learn that the proper solution for helping users program with Flash does not always present itself with an obvious solution.
Need to take different directions and try things out in Flash to rectify and improve the tool and user experience.
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Learning Path
Different levels of learning in Flash Core concepts (timeline, keyframes, symbols/instances, etc)
Granular usage (Script Assist, creating a symbol, etc)
Users learn concepts outside of the product (in Help, classes, etc)
Can add tools to help granular usage but not explain core concepts
Challenges Helping users find information on core concepts
Teaching those concepts
Defining what the core competencies are
Defining a learning path
Helping users understand how to use the tools (granular usage)
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Issues when using educational resources
Different user backgrounds
Determining the learning path
Avoid “too much information” that overwhelms users when searching for answers
Flow and visibility of information
Help for visual learners: how to better address the needs of different kinds of learners who may or may not be used to tools like Flash, and better accommodate visual learners.
Where to place Help: offer some help content so that it can be continually updated?
What content formats are most useful/useable and discoverable? PDF, in-product Help, Web help, printed books? Some customer equate printed book with Help and are resistant to searching Help or web, but less content is available in print.
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Does Flash turn non-programmers into programmers?
YES Use features to help automate
code (such as Script Assist)
Use documentation and other resources to learn how to code
Take a course on Flash/ActionScript, or ask questions to other users
Most tasks in Flash require some kind of code.
NO Use Flash to create visual
content only
Work with a developer
Need to facilitate good communication
Need to facilitate good workflow between coding/design tools
Need to work out how projects are set up (where to place code, etc)
While most tasks require code, some users avoid writing it.
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