When a client asks for more animation to make it "eye-catching"

**tortue** · 10-21-2009, 08:42 AM

Often we have clients who ask for a slideshow type animation of changing images bang in the middle of the page, supposedly to make a page more eye-catching, or entice a user to buy a product.
I have a feeling that it just distracts. Personally, I never hang around long enough to watch the images change anyway - as soon as I see animation I just look elsewhere. But maybe that's just me.
What do you think?
It would be good to have user statistics to support my feeling, but I can never find any. Is anyone aware of studies into users' navigation habits and patterns of where they look on a page, etc?

**chrishirst** · 10-21-2009, 08:52 AM

You are right! They are just distracting
http://www.webmaster-talk.com/websit...gn-trends.html

We have had one client recently who wanted "A light open feel"! Whatever that means.

Maybe he thought we were designing a house???

**tortue** · 10-22-2009, 04:08 AM

Ok, so pointless animation is definitely distracting (love the globe!).
But what do you think of semi-relevant animation? Like changing images relating to a product, on a product page. I can see the argument for it, but still, personally, I just don't like stuff moving on my page. So many people ask for it though that maybe it's just me.
I'd like statistics on whether it really makes people stay on a page longer. You don't know of any internet user studies that focus on the way a page is designed?

**chrishirst** · 10-22-2009, 04:17 AM

I find it annoying!

"If you're going to show me several images, let ME decide!" is the way I look at it.
Give users a thumbnail to click/hover to see other images.

**tortue** · 10-22-2009, 04:24 AM

I'm glad someone agrees! What I don't get is why so many people ask for it, and yet when I ask them to name me a website they've seen it on that they like, they can never remember one.

**JSTYLISH** · 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrishirst

We have had one client recently who wanted "A light open feel"! Whatever that means.

Probably wants you to use JUST the line tool in photoshop

I don't really mind animation. I have advised customers against animation on occasions whilst encouraged it on others. I guess it depends on the website itself.

**jillhandley** · 10-22-2009, 04:14 PM

Some people pickup on a good flash animation as good web design and overall reputable company. However a forced flash animation.

**darrenfox** · 10-23-2009, 08:17 PM

I think if it is done right, it can compliment the overall design and amateur web users will perceive the look as more high end. You design for the people, not yourself.

**blue-dreamer** · 10-24-2009, 01:15 PM

I'm pretty much "animation blind" nowadays, probably because I've seen too many sites use them and they're rarely worth looking at. My eyes always autoscan for text headings

I totally agree with chrishirst on this - let me see it but only if I want to.

**forkboy** · 10-25-2009, 06:38 AM

Just keep it simple yet ellegant that will catch attention.. Too much animation or eye candy is distractive and can cause client not to accept.

**benedict65** · 10-29-2009, 10:45 AM

It just distracts the user at the same time, a website that has so many animations takes time to load.

**brpcraig** · 10-29-2009, 02:05 PM

I've found keeping the animation simple and segregated will bring you the "eye-catching" factor while keeping the load times down. It's the little things that matter.

**Designer-J** · 10-29-2009, 07:53 PM

If a customer asks for something like that, just have fun with it, draw out a storyboard and get it planned out on paper. Things like that sometimes might go un-noticed, but there's no denying that it would look good (if done properly) in your portfolio.