With 2012 now upon us, I thought I would jot down some advice for interactive designers and developers who are looking to have a happy and productive year. Now I’m not going to go all Tony Robbins on you, but I can guarantee you happiness, wealth, and a better-looking smile if you follow my simple plan.
Focus on the positives
With all the changes that are happening in our industry it is easy to get into a negative mindset. A good example of this is how many people have reacted to the increased importance of JavaScript in interactive work. It’s easy to just focus on how inelegant OOP is in comparison to languages like AS3, C#, and Java. Instead I recommend focusing on the positives of developing with JavaScript, such as not having to compile anything and the creative uses of loose typing and closures that can be accomplished with the language. The Internet is filled with negativity, so set yourself apart in 2012 by rising above it.
Don’t think in extremes
It is absolutely true that you can now do really cool interactive work with JavaScript and it should definitely be a part of your skillset. This does not mean however that you need to abandon everything you’ve been doing and become a fulltime JS developer. Flash is still vastly superior for a lot of situations and this shows no signs of slowing down in 2012. My suggestion is to learn how to do interactive work with JS/HTML5 to complement your Flash skills. This will allow you to make much more educated decisions about when to use the right technology and will also make you much more attractive to potential clients and employers.
Rebrand yourself
The days of calling yourself a Flash developer are over. This was fine when Flash was the only interactive game in town. Instead I recommend that you adopt a title that is technology agnostic. Personally I like the term interactive developer. If most of the work you do is with Flash, then you would be an interactive developer who specializes in Flash. This is a small distinction but an important one.
Don’t give up on the community
Our community has had a rough time of it over the last couple of years. People now fear that they will have to attend JavaScript and HTML conferences and that the good old days are gone. This is not the case at all. Just like my last point, I think we need to rebrand ourselves as the interactive development community. We do the best interactive work in the world, period. I want to continue to go to conferences like FOTB and FITC and hear from the best interactive developers in the business. For instance, if I go to a session about interactive HTML5 development then I want to hear it from guys like Grant and Keith. We are the experts in this stuff, regardless of the underlying technology that is being used. I really want 2012 to be the year where we regroup and solidify our community again.
Place less emphasis on languages
What are the skills that make us valuable to clients and employers? I think the real value comes from knowing how to create compelling interactive experiences. This includes the intricacies of how to properly animate things in a way that evokes the right emotion and feel. These are skills that we have all hashed out and learned together over the last decade and they transcend any particular language or platform.
Separate love from business
I love Flash. I will always love Flash. It has given me an amazing career, takes me around the world, and being involved in the community has given me an amazing group of friends. With that being said, I realize that love is, by its very nature, irrational. So you need to be really careful about letting that love cloud your judgment in the real world. Just because you prefer working with a certain technology, that doesn’t mean that it is always the right choice for a project.
Get some exercise
Staying slumped over your computer all day and night might have some short-term advantages, but in the long run it will hamper you. One of the best ways to blow off steam and help you to think clearly is to get regular exercise. I actually think that this is just as important as learning a new technical skill. With a clear head you will be able to deal with the ups and downs of this industry with ease.
All right, I’m done passing out unsolicited advice for now. I’m only telling you these things because I think they are really important. Let’s destroy it in 2012!