With the increased use of broadband, the number of websites that use Flash animation has also risen. But, do broadband users actually want websites with Flash?
A survey conducted by Nielsen//NetRatings "Sites with High Traffic From Broadband Users" provides some very interesting findings.
Among the websites of six major Japanese companies (Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Sony, Matsushita Electric, and Toshiba), the one with the most broadband users was Toyota. Some 47% of visitors to that site accessed it via broadband. However, Toyota's site was not created with a particular awareness of broadband users, but rather was developed with the effective use of conventional text and graphics.
Sony's website, however, uses Flash to a relatively high degree and was developed with broadband users in mind. Despite this, only 39% of visitors to that site accessed it via broadband.
From these results we can see that our idea of broadband users simply wanting animated websites is not always accurate. Website creators may also be missing this point.
The designer is thinking...
With the increased use of broadband, users have become more accepting of heavy content. In that case, let's create a sophisticated website using Flash!
But the user is thinking...
Just because I have broadband doesn't mean that what I want to see has changed. I'll be happy as long as I can get the information I need as quickly and easily as possible.
The situation described above may be happening more than we realize.
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 To design a site for the sake of broadband is nonsense
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To think that one should create Flash sites just because broadband has become more common isn't taking into consideration the needs of users. With this type of technology-oriented approach, it is difficult to create a successful website. The natural process should be to put user needs first, and then make decisions about technology.
To get more specific, let's consider an example of a company building a customer support website with a needs-oriented approach
- First, clarify the purpose of the site
 Explain how to use products, reduce telephone inquiries
- Determine target users
Most people who buy this product are broadband users
- Uncover user needs
Users are irritated because they don't know how to use the product and want to get at the information easily
Users want to figure out how to use the product without having to read a lot of text
- Investigate technology
HTML is commonly used for menus and other navigation to enable users to arrive at the content they want without spending too much time learning how to get there and without feeling stress
Explain how to use products using Flash
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To construct a website that has value, don't get too caught up in the latest technology. Instead, create your website while keeping in mind the user-centered ideas presented in this column.
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