Form and Function
What do we mean when we say "Form Follows Function"?
You've heard the phrase before- but have you ever stopped to think about what it really means?
For most people, if they think about it at all, it means that Form (that is, the shape something takes) is less important than Function (what something does). However, this isn't really the case. Especially when it comes to design and presentation.
What it really means is- the Form something takes SHOULD largely be determined by what it is meant to do.
This is as much true in website design as it is anywhere else in the world. A site that puts its design ahead of its function will inevitably have problems- not the least of which is a poor customer experience.
Let's Talk About Flash
How about we have a discussion about Adobe Flash?
In many of our consulting, design and redesign jobs we're asked "Don't you think we should add some animation or a splash page to get people's attention?". This conversation eventually turns to the subject of adding Adobe Flash animation to the site.
Now don't misunderstand- we're all for Flash. It's a great product and does a lot of good things. It adds depth and interactivity to the browsing experience and can engage visitors to your site in ways that static text can't. But only if it's used correctly- as an add-on to already good content.
Let's explain...
