Unit 50 Multimedia

1. Unit 50Multimedia

2. What is MULTIMEDIA? • presenting text, graphics, video, animation, and sound in an integrated way, meaning all together • Sound – Music, Narration, Sound Effects • Images • Video • Animation • Transition

3. What are Interactive Multimedia Products? Interactive Multimedia Products (IMMP) use a wide range of media to present information IMMP’s provide us the consumer with the ability to access information and services through touch screens or keyboards and video displays It must interact with us allowing us to choose items/dictate the pathway though the product and give us feedback

4. Multimedia Product Features • Media • Text • Bitmap graphics including photos • Vector graphics • Graphs • Tables • Borders/shading • Animation • Movies • Sound effects • Speech • Backing track • Interaction • Navigation Buttons • Main / Sub Menu • Drag and Drop • Select Answers / Keep Score • Custom routes • Help / Useful Suggestions • Enter text and something happens

5. What Makes A Good IMMP? • The whole product suitable for its target audience and purpose • Delivers the content in a clear way which is easy for the target audience to understand • It functions correctly

6. Evaluating non web based products (you must ensure that these are stand alone points and NOT connected to the internet in any way via your computer or telephone (depending what via the phone) Mark Band 3 – this is what we aim for – TOP BOX!! The candidate produces a report which critically evaluates two non web-based commercial multimedia products, discusses the good and the bad features of each, and fully explains how each product has influenced the design of their final product.

7. Last time I saw you, we decided what non web based products were and gave examples of such products such as: • Ticket machines at the train station • Tourist help points or any type of help point • Cash points • Self service checkouts in supermarkets • CD ROMS – stories, teaching material, interactive guides • Games – such as the Nintendo WII • Telephones – the non web based applications such as the games, address book • Leisure centres – activities/check in • Airport self check in • Doctor’s check in • Specsavers – glasses

8. You need to evaluate two products, identifying the good and bad features of each and how these may influence your own design • You need to identify the product – name it • What it intends to do – educate, provide help, entertain, provide information etc • Who the target audience is • How the user navigates/uses the product • How well the product meets its needs • The overall impact on the user (how it is used and how effectively) • The features of the product • how good the instructions are to use the product – clarity/depth • how navigated – buttons/text hyperlinks/image links • what type of effects are used – animation/transition • sound - narration/music/error sounds/correct sounds • video - supporting video/video instructions/ • colour – background/font • font – size, style, colour • use of supporting images – type such as photos, clipart, drawings • error messages (mistakes made when selecting an action) any? • clarity of messages – are they easy to understand • speed – how fast the product moves – is it controlled by the user or timed? • Use of screen – well spaced out, top, bottom, right, left, centred only

9. For EACH product evaluated, you will then need to identify the functions and features which will influence your own design and justify why you feel these are useful i.e. the use of bright colours to attract a younger audience because children are drawn to bright colours which hold their attention the use of clearly identifiable buttons which indicate what the user will expect to happen if selected the use of clear and meaningful text will explain to the user what the button has been designed to do without any confusion and those to avoid i.e. the use of multiple font types this inconsistent design is confusing to the user as no house style can be identified within the product the use of sounds which do not support the image/text sound which do not represent the image or text displayed is misleading and therefore is to be avoided

10. What you need to do is to evaluate two non web based products based on the previous information CLEARLY identifying what, who, how, good, poor, influences on own product Include screen shots of the product you are evaluating and make direct reference to them in your report when discussing the product Finallycomparing the two products – determine what is similar between them and what are the differences What can you determine is good practice when producing a IMMP What features should your product definitely have

11. Moderator’s Comments “In order to access the higher marks in task a, candidates must evaluate the commercial multimedia products, rather than describe them. There must also be a detailed explanation of how the product influenced the design of the product that the candidates produce. A number of candidates evaluated web-based multimedia products rather than non web-based multimedia products. Some candidates produced evaluation that were descriptive in nature rather than a critical analysis of the products; this restricted the marks awarded to a maximum of mark band 2.”

12. Evaluation Questions 1. How accessible is the product and how do you navigate through it? (Are there alternative pathways? Is the method of navigation suitable for the intended audience?) How could the product be improved in terms of navigation and accessibility? 2. Is the content of the product suitable for it’s aim and purpose? Would you remove or add any content to the product? Are any other changes to content you would recommend? 3. Does the product have an appropriate house style? What impact does this have? Would you make any changes to the style to improve visual impact? 4. How interactive is the multimedia product. How does this meet the aims of the product? Could this be changed in any way to improve the product? 5. How has the product made use of colour and text? Is it suitable for the intended audience and purpose? Would you make any changes to the font or colours? 6. Has the multimedia product made effective use of graphics? Are different types used? Do they enhance the product? Would you make any changes to the use of graphics? 7. Does the product make any use of sound? Is this effective? Would you make any changes to the use of sound? 8. Does the product make use of video or animation? If yes, does it make the product more appealing to the intended audience? Would you make any changes to the use of video or animation in the product? 9. How effective is the overall presentation of the product? Would you make any changes to the overall presentation of the product? 10. Overall, how well does the product meet the needs of the intended audience? Is it fit for purpose? Don’t forget to include comments about help and install instructions – these are often omitted.

13. Evaluation Writing Frame – Band 3 Details of the product being reviewed Description of audience and purpose Description of the contents Description of what impacts the product has on audience Description of what impact the product has on audience – (what feelings does it generate, what does it leave you thinking) What techniques and tactics (images sounds, animation, installation / help etc) are used – what ideas do they give? Full explanation of what the products good points and bad points are – what ideas do they give? Comments on how appropriate the product is at effectively communicating its message Comments on how appropriate the product is at encouraging the viewer to remember the message Improvements which can be made to the product Summary table showing features / styles / techniques / content used and how they give ideas for your product Product #1 Include Screen Shots To Illustrate Points Details of the product being reviewed Description of audience and purpose Description of the contents Description of what impacts the product has on audience Description of what impact the product has on audience – (what feelings does it generate, what does it leave you thinking) What techniques and tactics (images sounds, animation installation / help etc) are used – what ideas do they give? Full explanation of what the products good points and bad points are – what ideas do they give? Comments on how appropriate the product is at effectively communicating its message Comments on how appropriate the product is at encouraging the viewer to remember the message Improvements which can be made to the product Summary table showing features / styles / techniques / content used and how they give ideas for your product Product #2 A discussion which compares the two products - what is similar between them and what is different? - what can you determine is good practice when producing IMMP? - what features should your product defiantly have