Multimedia
Flash allows the marriage of textual information, sound, images, video and animation in one glorious whole. However, its power doesn't merely stop at the visual level of other software. It also allows sophisticated interaction, calculation and feedback and presentation of results, together with the ability to include attached documents and appendices in other file formats.
Multimedia does not have to be presented only in large projects such as those outlined below. It can also encompass the addition of a simple banner to a website. The skill lies in making such features add to the user experience of using the site, rather than being an irritation.
Interactive training ...
I have been sole designer on large interactive training projects for HR use for the NHS. These combine walking the user through the whole process of using a new online system with presentation and quizzes to consolidate learning and to provide feedback. Through Flash' ability to encompass both animation and interaction, the user can be dynamically led through a simulated use of the new HR system, with feedback and prompts provided should they go wrong or need further input.
The whole project has been split into separate lessons with an interactive menu. This then keeps file sizes reasonable. You are actually watching two movies playing simultaneously, one the lesson and one the menu capable of controlling the other.
Presentation with interaction...
I was sole designer for a large CD to be presented to senior staff by Coca-Cola Enterprises, outlining all aspects of their share option scheme. There were actually four separate versions on the CD, each in a different language (translations and text provided!) and each had pertinent documentation and appendices attached. The whole had to present a very complicated and somewhat dry subject matter in a dynamic but professional manner, and included questions and answer areas, voice tracks and dynamic projections of outcomes, demonstrated with animated graphs which would draw themselves before the users eyes.
Presentation with calculation...
I was also involved on a similarly large CD for Coca-Cola Enterprises, outlining all aspects of their pension and benefits scheme. I worked in conjunction with developers who provided a pensions calculator, which would then draw out graphs projecting likely returns and outcomes according to various choices made by the user. Again the whole thing had to be presented in a friendly and dynamic way, with a sharp and professional edge.
Contact me for a demonstration of any recent work. I am awaiting permissions from clients before I can place any excerpts from these projects on the site.