Web standards and guidelines

Interactive software

Resources can be produced using technologies such as Adobe Flash and Director. However, developers should ensure that if these technologies are used then the resource must be as accessible as possible (see the accessibility guidelines for further information) and this may require providing an alternative for those users who are unable to use the multimedia resource.

Flash Professional

Flash can be used for vector-based games, animations and video content.

  • To support the stated principles of reusability, interoperability and durability, developers should endeavour to produce Flash movies that can be configured and tailored for individual use. For example, do not hardwire information such as colours, textual descriptions, etc, into the Flash movie but instead use XML to store the data required outside of the movie. This allows users to change aspects of the Flash movie to suit their particular requirements.
  • Developers should attempt to keep the size of the Flash movies as small as possible. A loading screen should be displayed if a movie takes more than 10 seconds to fully download over a 56 kb/s connection.
  • Developers should take active steps to ensure that the Flash movie is as accessible as possible. Can the Flash movie be used without a mouse? Will a screen reader work with the Flash movie? Flash movies that are not accessible will require the developers to produce an alternative version for those users unable to use the Flash version.
  • The Flash file should be exported for Flash Player 8 or lower.

Director MX

Where appropriate, Director MX can be used to produce Shockwave multimedia applications for the web. Shockwave files are generally a lot larger in size than Flash movies and as such Shockwave should only be used when absolutely necessary.

The following should be taken into consideration when developing resources in Director:

  • Developers should endeavour to produce Shockwave files that can be configured and tailored for individual use. The use of XML to store data needed by the Shockwave file is strongly encouraged.

  • Developers should attempt to keep the size of the Shockwave file as small as possible. A loading screen should be displayed if a Shockwave file takes more than 10 seconds to fully download over a 56 kb/s connection.

  • Developers should ensure that the Shockwave application is accessible.