Skip Intro: Macromedia Flash Usability and Interface Design

by Michelangelo Carpraro and Duncan McAlester

New Riders, April, 2002.
Trade Paperback, 252 pages.
ISBN: 073571178X

Skip Intro: Macromedia Flash Usability and Interface Design by Michelangelo Carpraro and Duncan McAlester Finally, there is a Flash book that focuses on the important concept of usability -- instead of just providing pages and pages about how to create ultra-cool Flash effects. Now, if we could just get the developers of all those awkward and irritating Flash designs on the Internet to read it. This book helps Flash developers learn how to build Flash sites and menus that web surfers will be more comfortable using. Chapter 1 of the book, "Bad Flashers Anonymous" gets readers off on the right track by helping them learn how to identify bad design and teaches some basic usability concepts. Chapter 2, "Basic Training", covers Flash basics including the Flash coding environment and debugging. The brunt of the book teaches Flash developers interface design through example designs for real Flash sites, which include step-by-step procedures, code and screenshots. The book also includes listings of additional Flash and usability resources including books and websites. A CD-ROM also comes with the book which includes the code and project files from the text. Skip Intro does a thorough job of explaining usability and interface design concepts. Armed with this knowledge, Flash developers can provide a more user-friendly website for their customers. A must-read for professional Flash developers.

Skip Intro: Macromedia Flash Usability and Interface Design is available for purchase on Amazon.com

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This review was published in the June, 2002 of The Internet Writing Journal.

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