1. Development and Design of Multimedia Titles
Unit E

2. Objectives Plan the title Create and test the title
Multimedia design guidelines
Design for interactivity
Interactive design guidelines
Multimedia for the web

3. Rule of Thumb Development Tip
Production
20%
Planning
80%

4. Multimedia Development
Phase 1 - Planning the Title
Develop the concept 1
State the purpose 2
Identify the target audience 3
Determine the treatment 4
Develop the specifications 5
Storyboard and Navigation 6

5. Multimedia Development
Phase 2 – Creating and Testing
Develop the content 7
Author the content 8
Test the content 9

6. Develop the Concept 1
What, in general, do we want the title to accomplish?
Support the company’s vision of their product
Brainstorm ideas
Hold “focus group” sessions

7. 2 State the Purpose What, specifically, do we want to accomplish?
Goals support the vision
Objectives are developed from the goals and must be clear, measurable and obtainable
Keeps the team focused

8. Identify Target Audience3
Who will use the title?
Can use demographics, lifestyle, attitudes
Need to identify as large an audience as possible
Larger audience is more difficult to develop for

9. Determine the Treatment4
What is the look and feel?
Treatment: how the title will be presented to the user
Tone: funny, serious, light, heavy, formal, informal
Approach: amount and type of user direction for interactivity
Metaphor: theme
Emphasis: on various multimedia elements (budget can dictate)

10. Develop the Specifications5
What precisely does the title include, and how does it work?
What will appear on each screen?
Playback system: platform & processor speed
Elements included:
How sound is recorded
Design resolution
Video specifications
Fonts/colors
Functionality: interactivity specifications
User interface: how to navigate

11. Storyboard and Navigation6
What do the screens look like and how are they linked?

12. Storyboard and Navigation6
Navigation is linking screens via buttons, hypertext and hot spots
Exploratory type: little structure (games)

13. Storyboard and Navigation6
Sequential type: linear (stories, books, presentations, tutorials)

14. Storyboard and Navigation6
Topical type: menu/search (catalog, encyclopedia, kiosk)

15. 7 Develop the Content How do we generate the content?
Who will be responsible for copyright/licensing issues?
Libraries: stock media vs. create in-house
Personnel: artists, photographers, musicians, actors, writers, editors
How will the content be archived and documented?
Element database

16. 8 Author the Title How do we bring it all together?
Programmer uses scripting
Designers for user interface
Authors for content
Team members all work together

17. 9 Testing Does it work the way it was planned?
Usually ongoing during development
Prototypes: proof of concept test
Design testing: informal - how user interacts
Usability testing: formal - user filmed and asked questions during interaction
Function testing: does it work as planned?

18. 9 Testing Alpha testing Beta testing In-house Try to make it crash
Document errors in bug reports
Beta testing
Select potential users to test

19. Multimedia Design Guidelines
Unity
Balance
Movement

20. Multimedia Design Guidelines – Balance
Distribution of optical weight
Ability of element to attract user’s eye
Determined by object nature and size
Nature: shape, color, brightness, type

21. Multimedia Design Guidelines – Balance
Screen position
Symmetrical balance
Asymmetrical balance
No balance
Asymmetrical Balance
Symmetrical Balance

22. Multimedia Design Guidelines – Unity
Intra-screen: do screen elements fit in?
Inter-screen: consistency of entire title

23. Multimedia Design Guidelines – Movement
How user’s eyes move through screen elements
Optical center (above physical center)
Designer can control via:
Control starting place with graphic
Use lines to point in a direction
Use color gradients
Have entities looking in a particular direction
Emphasize an element in some way

24. Design for Interactivity
Audience
Title type
Content
Title elements

25. Design for Interactivity – Audience
Understand user’s needs
How does user work with the title

26. Design for Interactivity – Title Type
Access specific information quickly – use menu
Reference work – use menu, index, search
Kiosk gathering information – control fields
Game/entertainment – allow random interaction (exploratory)

27. Design for Interactivity – Content
Content volume
Adds more navigation levels
Can increase confusion
Provide hotwords or areas to jump
Use pop-up windows, scrollbars, bookmarks
Content nature
Can suggest a theme

28. Design for Interactivity – Title Elements
User controls for video, audio

29. Interactive Design Guidelines
Make it simple, easy to understand and easy to use (intuitive)
First screen shows contents and how to navigate
Metaphors consistent with content
Elements consistent with metaphors

30. Interactive Design Guidelines
Build in consistency

31. Interactive Design Guidelines
Use design templates to
Provide consistency
Shorten development time
Prevent “object shift”

32. Interactive Design Guidelines
Provide feedback
Provide choices and escapes
User has control: view or skip

33. Multimedia for the Web
Web sites can be designed for multiple audiences

34. Multimedia for the Web How to attract viewer attention
Flashy and catchy intros
Repeat viewers can skip
How to keep viewer interest
How to help viewers get what they want from the site

35. Multimedia for the Web Provide quick downloads Keep it simple
Users scan, don’t read; use keywords
Average user spends < 60 seconds and needs to
Capture their interest
Understand focus of site
Understand how to navigate it
Understand how to get information
Keep the site fresh

36. Web Development Tips
All pages reachable in 3-5 clicks; return home in 1 click
Label navigation options clearly
Color-code text links
Provide a site map
Provide a search tool

37. Banner Ads Use for Web promotions Include sound and animation
>50% look at; <1% click them
Banner placement and size is important
Usually placed at top of page

38. Issue: Online Privacy Is consumer feedback worth the price? Cookies
Buyer vs. seller benefits
Stakeholder debates
Individuals
Consumer advocacy groups
Businesses
Government agencies

39. Development and Design of Multimedia Titles
End