Since our new book focuses on rich interactions, I wanted to spend some time on Adobe Flex/AIR.
After designing several large enterprise applications for diverse clients and industries, I’ve noticed some barriers to crafting a great experience in Flex. I think these barriers arise from the relative newness of the technology (and RIAs in general), the initial focus on development over design, and the confidence that Flex can provide a great UX out of the box. But it takes a bit more to make a Flex app really shine. Fortunately, the Flex community is chock full of talented and motivated developers who contribute amazing resources.
These tips are based on the best Flex resources I have found, and how you can use them to craft a great Flex UX. This is part 1 of 6:
- Play With It: 10 Flex Explorers
- Learn From the Best: 10 Great Flex Apps
- Learn From the Rest: 10 Great RIAs
- Stock Your Toolbox: The Essential Controls
- Review Best Practices for Designing a RIA
- Avoid Common Mistakes: 10 Anti-Patterns
Play With It: 10 Flex Explorers
I can’t think of a better way to get your feet wet than to play with these explorers.
01. Tour de Flex
02. Component Explorer
03. Style Explorer
04. Regular Expression Explorer
By Ryan Swanson
05. Charts Explorer
06. Efflex Effects Explorer
07. Filter Explorer
08. Primitive Objects Explorer
09. Data Visualization Explorer
10. Button Skin Explorer
Comment with your favorite Flex explorer
I realize I have only skimmed the surface here, please comment with a link to your favorite explorer or gallery for Flex 3.
Theresa Neil 