Flash has a steep learning curve. It will be a long time before you can make Flash do exactly what you need it to do. And fiddling around with something created by another designer won’t always be easy either. For all you know it may be a disaster behind the scenes. That 3 minute load time doesn’t bode well.
Best to just tell her you’re sorry, but you can’t help her with her Flash website and move on.
Keep life simple and stress-free and find some clients who want things you can already do.
Who did the flash re-design? Another designer? Or did the client do it herself?
If you have enough work, I’d set it aside saying you don’t currently develop flash-based websites.
In the nicest possible way, you could say something like the loading time is about 3 minutes, it might be an area that needs some optimization since visitors tend to have a short attention span.
Another designer did the new design. And she did a nice job with it as Flash websites go.
It’s a side job. And I like getting the money to do the updates. Now that I am unemployed from regular job, the money comes in handy, so I hate to give that up.
The problem is I can’t figure out how I can justify paying $700 for software when I probably won’t be making much more than that this year on all my freelance website work. I don’t know anyone who is a student who can help me buy an academic version of Adobe Flash.
I wouldn’t bother to learn Flash for that (but I am very strict about those kind of jobs due to what I know about them). It might be worth telling her that by redesigning the site in Flash (I’m guessing there’s no alternative) she’s going to suffer a wide range of long term disadvantages. Firstly, Flash dependant sites have serious accessibility and usability issues which will undoubtedly make people less likely to be able to visit and see her website (people on cellphones - an ever increasing number of users will be unlikely to be able to use her site), she could in the future be sued for discriminating against disability groups (especially if her website is a commercial business). Search engines don’t like Flash much either, her position in search rankings will likely drop and therefore she’ll get less new traffic and that’ll damage her marketing potential, and a 3 minute load time will average out that up to 90% of potential customers may give up and hit the back button and go elsewhere (this is based on independent statistics). Essentially, she’s gone and shot herself in the foot and followed that up by dancing in a minefield.
Perhaps you could educate her on the benefits of returning back to a proper design (or offer to produce an HTML version of the existing Flash version) - it’ll be more work for you (which will mean your costs for Flash are more likely to be covered) but you’re also doing her a long term favour, because with the way accessibility law is vibrating at the moment, you really don’t want to have a website that slams a “You need Flash NOW… no alternatives!” message in a blind persons face.
Once Google realises it is now Flash rather than a web page and moves it from page 1 to so far down the list that no one can find it then you will have an easier time explaining why an HTML version is essential.
You don’t have to make it all about the negative… say you can throw in an HTML alternative to the Flash content which will drive up her search position, allow more people to visit her website, ensure she’s safe for accessibility, let mobile devices see her content and ensure her website is as optimized as possible! Everything I said has an opposite (and very real benefit for her users), explaining how HTML alternatives would benefit her site will certainly act as a good incentive to employ you.
you need to bring everything up to the client. Since I run a service as well dealing with website I would recommend being up front with every client. It may cost you this one client but you will feel better and you may get refferals from them.
Interestingly enough, I received a telephone call today from the client, and she now wants me to take over the re-design of the website but without Flash.
She said the other person “did not know how to put a website together”.
Oh, the website isn’t finished, and it was at 3 minute load time.
Could you imagine what it would have been when the entire website was finished? LOL.
Who would have thought it! A client that sees the light of day! You want to keep her for the long run… most client’s tend to be stubborn in their own downfall
something the others missed when critiquing the use of flash:
dont be too quick to dismiss it. Flash can be handy if used in the correct or a tasteful manner.
you said your clients client is a performer, well perhaps flash video or audio players are a way that she can get her client portfolio out there. Im assuming that the client your doing the site for is a manager or agent for some sort of performers (actors, musicians, etc).
Dont be too hasty to say all flash is the devil, these sort of enhancements can make for a good site experience.
Also, if you dont have access to flash, then e-lance sites might have a skilled flash developer that you could sub contract the portion of the work out to.
W2ttsy, no-one was critiquing the use of Flash, we were talking in the context of Flash only websites which have no HTML alternatives. It’s obvious that Flash suits it’s purpose and does have a lot of benefits but in the context of the original post (which stated… “She went and had the website re-designed completely in Flash”), that was a clear violation of how and when Flash should be used. But yes for video and audio it can be tastefully implemented.
I turn down lots of Flash sites. I just say " I don’t do Flash for a lot of reasons" and if they ask why then I tell them the draw backs of Flash sites.
