end-user programming and flash

2006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.1

End-user programming and Flash

Jen deHaan

Sr. Technical Writer

April 23rd 2006


Overview

What is Flash?

What do you use Flash for?

Who uses Flash?

32006 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.

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?


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?


“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?


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


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


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


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


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.


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)


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.


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.

end-user programming and flash

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