Graphic Content

During my years managing a Web development group, I faced steady challenges from my customers who wanted to use the most grandiose methods as possible for grabbing their customers’ attention. They wanted their message to ring loud and clear, whether it was about the significance of the company’s products, the capabilities of the business or the importance of establishing a line of communication. For many, no bell or whistle was too loud when it came to Web presence.

As most Web developers would suggest, my typical initial response to whether we could deliver such extravagant requests was, “Sure, anything’s possible.” In Web development, it’s remarkable how much truth there is to that statement. But our conversations would quickly turn to considerations of basic functionality. Do the features of the site contribute to the core purpose, or are they distracting? Is navigation in the site intuitive, or is it so overloaded with options that none are practical (as we’ve seen in many common software packages)? Do bandwidth limitations make implementation of certain features unreasonable?

The line in the sand for these points of discussion will vary from one site to the next. Particularly in the case of graphical content such as video and animation, that line is likely to move, over time, for each site. Development tools have become more advanced, and computer processing speeds and internet connections have gotten faster, allowing much more efficient graphics rendering and page loading. Therefore, graphics capabilities of today’s sites are higher than in years past and will continue to improve.

One site that demonstrates the use of these expanded capabilities is www.ezburr.com, which uses 3D animation to show manufacturers and distributors exactly how E-Z Burr tools work. A transparent view provides a comprehensive look at every aspect of the tool, inside and out, including the locking system and adjustable blade. This site takes advantage of increased graphics capabilities to help facilitate the decision-making process for manufacturers as they look to suppliers for guidance in their purchasing decisions.