MULT1003: Introduction to Multimedia Presentations Jon Ivins and Howell Istance DMU

MULT1003 n Taught by Jon Ivins n Some groups will have labs with Catalin Amza n Aims to introduce the basic concepts of multimedia design n Project lifecycle, design process, authoring tools, user needs, technical issues, principles of graphic design, project management, evaluation and distribution

Arrangements n Module home page u n two lectures per week n + 1 hour lab n + 1 hour lab or 1 hour tutorial You will be told each week whether the second support hour will be a lab or tutorial

Assessment n Phase Test in Week 11 or 12 of the semester n Worth 50% and will last for one hour n Coursework worth 50% to be submitted at the end of Week 12 to YOUR lab supervisor n Working in groups of 3 to produce a multimedia application AND supporting documentation

Your Group’s Application n Any subject provided it is legal and decent n It should demonstrate your understanding, and ability to apply the concepts taught in this module n Must incorporate many different types of media n Documentation should, as a minimum, identify target audience, aim of the application, design decisions taken and the reasons, methods and results of testing, user guide.

Lectures weeks Week 1 Introduction to Multimedia Presentations Project LifeCycle Week 2 Systems Design and Human Computer Interface Week 3 Multimedia Authoring Tools Interacting with Director Week 4 Principles of User Centred Design Users and User Characteristics

Weeks Week 5 Multimedia Authoring Tools Media File Formats Week 6 Principles of Graphic Design Characteristics of Good Human- Computer Dialogues Week 7 Multimedia project management (2 lectures)

Weeks Week 8 Evaluation techniques Usability of applications and presentations Week 9 Guest Speaker Week 10 Multimedia and the WWW Distribution Issues

What is Multimedia? n Images n Animation n Text n Sound n Video n A multimedia application uses the above in a structured manner to achieve pre-defined aims

Aims n Entertainment n Provide information n Teaching n Training n Selling products /services n Publicity

Structure n Logical structure i.e. Information flows, file names, etc n Physical structure i.e. where files are stored, user interaction n Constraints include: target machine, target audience, copyright and other legal issues.

A Definition? n “A computer program that makes use of graphics, sound and video to convey information to the user”. n “A computer program that uses graphics, sound and video to convey information to the user. The user has control over the manner, and rate, that information is received”.

The Design Equation n concept = “What am I trying to do / achieve with my multimedia application?” n content = the information that we present in the application n paradigm = human-computer interface, aesthetics, rules of communication adopted n CONCEPT = CONTENT + PARADIGM

Examples n Report on e-commerce n programmed learning n conference proceedings n promotion material n on-line tutorial

For each, consider…. n Purpose of application n intended audience n tasks users will perform with application n functions needed to support tasks n designers priorities when building the application (make notes as you see the examples)

What is a Workbook? A set of ALL documentation define target audience define aims of project define logical and physical design Aesthetic decisions Design deecisions referenced to textbooks Testing and evaluation Educational experience AND MUCH MORE