INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
APPLIED MULTIMEDIA
Multi = many
Media = ways of communicating
Applied Multimedia
The integrated use of
• Text
• Audio
• Video
• graphics
CONTEMPORARY USES
AND MEANS OF DELIVERY
MULTIMEDIA APPLICATIONS
Four main areas:
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Business (advertising, selling, presentations)
Education (CAL, reference materials)
Home (games, leisure pursuits)
Public places (information points)
DELIVERY MEDIA
In multimedia, examples of appropriate
uses of:
• CD-ROM
• DVD-ROM
• Kiosk A computer designed to be an information
point with a large hard disc and usually a touch
screen – found in museums, airports, libraries
etc
• WWW
COMPARISON OF
DELIVERY MEDIA
How do these 4 delivery media CD-ROM,
DVD-ROM, Kiosk and WWW compare in
terms of:
• Data capacity
• Ease of update
EXAMPLES
Stages of Development
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Analysis
Design
Implementation
Testing
Documentation (includes hardware & software)
Evaluation
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
ANALYSIS
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Purpose (of application)
User / audience
Content
Delivery media
Budget
Timescale
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Design of Navigational Structures and HCI
Navigational Structures:
• Linear
• Hierarchical
• Web
Complex search criteria (AND)
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Design of Navigational Structures and HCI
DESCRIPTION OF USER INTERFACES
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Command Line Interface (MS-DOS)
Menu type
Form fill-in
Graphical User Interface (MS Windows)
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Design of Screens and Media Elements
Storyboard – a “graphical” way to represent many screens.
Each screen is represented by a rectangle – don’t need to
show all the text.
Each storyboard should clearly show :
• Layout – where all the elements will go on the page
• Transitions – special effects used to move between
screens.
• The links between slides/screens – i.e. the Navigation.
• Any item the user should interact with (menu, button to
press etc) User interface
Create a Storyboard
Create a storyboard for a home page for
the school website.
The website should have the name and address
of the school, a link to another page called
Departments, the school logo, a photo of the
school and the name of the head teacher.
Font Times
24
Font Times
18
Paisley Grammar School
Head Teacher: Mrs C. Amos
School Address
Photo of
School
Departments
Hyperlink
Logo
Navigation
Transitions
Home Page
Departments
Departments
Home
Computing Maths Art
Use Comb Vertical between Home Page
and Departments
Use Cover Left between Departments
and Computing
Use Cover Left between Departments
and Maths
Use Cover Left between Departments
and Art
Use Wipe Down between Computing
and Home
Use Wipe Down between Maths and Home
Use Wipe Down between Art and Home
Computing
Maths
Art
Home Departments
Home Departments
Home Departments
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Design of Screens and Media Elements
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GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES - Text
Quantity of text and use of white space – don’t have
too much text on one page. Use white space to
break up the text.
Fonts, alignment and size – Don’t keep changing
the font. Be consistent. Make sure the size is big
enough to read.
Lists and tables – use lists and tables whenever
possible.
Headings / subheadings – be consistent with font,
alignment and size. Subheadings should be smaller
than main headings.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Design of Screens and Media Elements
GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES
- Graphics
• Number of graphics on each screen – don’t have
too many.
• Position of graphics on screen and text wrap –
text and graphics should look good together.
• Captions – may be needed to explain the
graphic.
• Aesthetic considerations – make it look nice!
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Design of Screens and Media Elements
GENERAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES
- Audio
• Use sound effects effectively (eg when answering a
question)
• Use background music when it adds to the
application. (Will take up lots of storage space.)
• Have voice output if relevant. (accessibility issue –
to allow visually impaired people to access the
software)
• Have user-controlled volume if possible.
Create a storyboard for a page on a
website that allows users to play a video
clip. The page should have an area for the
Video (to see it play), and buttons for
play, pause, stop, next chapter.
The page should also have a heading
showing the name of the video and an
image at the side showing a poster for the
video. There also should be a link back to
the home page.
http://www.ict.stmargaretsacademy.org.uk/
Movie Name
Video
Poster
Video Play area
Home page
Play
Pause
Fast forward
Stop
Link to home
page
1.
Name 2 good design principles used for including Graphics in a
Multimedia page.
Use of Text Wrap, Use of Captions, Limit number of graphics to 2 or 3
2.
Give an advantage of including background music.
Sets the mood or creates an atmosphere for the presentation or website.
3.
Give a disadvantage of including background music.
Can be distracting or annoying to user.
4.
Suggest a software solution to 3.
User has ability to turn music on or off or control
volume.
5.
Give 1 advantage of including Sound Effects in a presentation.
Useful when user is interacting with the application
e.g. if the user answers a question wrong the
computer can give a response.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
General Implementation
There are 4 types of software packages used
to implement a multimedia application:• Presentation (powerpoint, prezi)
• Multimedia Authoring – icon-based (iDVD,
Flash)
• Multimedia Authoring – scripting (javascript)
• Web-page (Dreamweaver)
Presentation
• Mainly used for linear presentations in Business
i.e. a series of slides played in sequence.
• Can include text, sound, video, animation,
graphics etc.
• Can use transitions between slides
• Can animate slide contents.
Example Powerpoint, Prezi
Multimedia Authoring Packages
These types of packages have a more
interactive HCI than Presentation packages.
They are also more flexible and have more
features.
There are 2 types of MM Authoring Package:
•Script Based
•Icon Based
Icon Based Multimedia Authoring
An icon-based authoring application is built by placing icons
(small pictures) on a flow chart (or just working with icons).
It has an easy to follow structure.
Script Based Multimedia Authoring
Uses a programming language which is built into the package
to write scripts.
Scripts are placed on a timeline.
This type of package is more powerful than icon-based
packages. Writing scripts gives you more control over media
elements.
(More difficult to learn to use – need to know programming
language)
Web-page editors
Used to create multimedia applications to be viewed
on the WWW using browser software.
Includes basic HTML editors to website managers
that handle all aspects of web management.
HTML editors require a knowledge of hypertext
markup language. (html)
Examples:
Adobe Dreamweaver, Microsoft Expression Web, Microsoft Sharepont Designer
Ease of Use
• Presentation
Very simple to use. Creating slides and adding media.
• Authoring Icon based
Easy to follow structure – dragging and dropping icons.
• Authoring scripting
Need to know programming to write scripts.
• Web page
Easy to use most web page editors – provides a
WYSIWYG editor.
HTML editors more difficult as need to know HTML.
Cost
• Presentation
Not that expensive (e.g. around £100 mark or less).
• Authoring Icon based
Medium price – however professional packages more
expensive.
• Authoring scripting based
Generally expensive software. (Around £600 - £1000)
• Web page
Wide range of prices depending on application.
HTML editor almost free. Dreamweaver medium priced
around £360.
Summary Table
Type of
software
Presenta
tion
Icon
based
authoring
Script
based
authoring
Web
page
creation
Example
Descriptio
n
Functions
Features
Ease of
use
Cost
Programming
requirements
Do Quizzes
Information Systems INT 2 Revision
Quick Quizzes
Applied Multimedia
13 and 15
1. Name 2 things to be considered in Analysis.
Purpose, Timescale, Audience (User), Budget
2. Name 4 types of HCI.
Command Line Interepreter, Menu, Form fill and GUI
3. Name 3 types of Navigation.
Hierarchical, Linear, Web
4. Name 4 delivery media for a Multimedia application.
DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, Kiosk, WWW
5. Name 4 types of Multimedia Software
Presentation, Authoring Icon Based, Authoring Script
based, Web Editor.
1.
Give 2 advantages of using a presentation package.
Not an expensive package. Simple to use and learn.
2.
Give an advantage of using a Multimedia Authoring Script based
package.
Can create a more interactive Multimedia application,
Writing scripts makes the application more powerful and flexible.
3.
Give a 2 disadvantages of using a Multimedia Authoring Script based
package.
Need to have good programming skills and learn commands for writing
scripts.
Usually an expensive package to purchase.
4.
Which other type of multimedia software may require some
programming skills.
Web editor – if writing HTML into a simple text editor to create a web page.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
General Implementation
Presentation (powerpoint)
Description –
Functions & Features –
Ease of use –
Cost Programming requirements -
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
General Implementation
Authoring - icon-based (media blender)
Description –
Functions & Features –
Ease of use –
Cost Programming requirements -
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
General Implementation
Authoring - scripting (?)
Description –
Functions & Features –
Ease of use –
Cost Programming requirements -
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
General Implementation
Web-page (frontpage)
Description –
Functions & Features –
Ease of use –
Cost Programming requirements -
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
General Implementation
DESCRIPTION OF PERSONNEL
There are various jobs available in the area
of implementing a multimedia application.
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Project manager
Multimedia designer
Subject expert
Media specialists (graphics, audio)
Multimedia programmer
Webmaster
Project manager
Overall responsibility for development of the
multimedia project
Managing the project on a day to day basis.
Multimedia Designer
Will design the content, screen layout and
structure of the multimedia project.
This person will draw the storyboards that
design the layout of the various screens.
Subject Expert
This person will provide the content or
information for the project subject.
(e.g. if it is presentation on Dinosaurs they
would be an expert on Dinosaurs and provide
all the information)
Media Specialist
They are responsible for creating and
editing the multimedia elements e.g. the
Sound Files, Video files, Graphics Files
etc.
Could be Video engineers, audio
engineers or animators or graphic
designers.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Graphics
Each image is made up of pixels.
The more pixels used, the clearer the image will be.
The amount of pixels used is called the resolution
and is measured in dots per inch (dpi). When more
pixels are used, the size of the image file will
increase.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Graphics
A black and white image only uses 2 colours.
Colours are stored in bits. 2 colours only need 1 bit.
1 for black and 0 for white.
Most images have more than 2 colours, so they
need more than one bit. (8 bits gives 256 colours.)
The number of bits used for the colours is called the
colour depth. (The number of bits used for each
pixel is the colour depth.)
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Graphics
The bigger the colour depth the more colours you
can have and the clearer the image will appear.
The bigger the colour depth, the bigger the size of
the image file.
1. State 3 ways of reducing the size of a graphics file.
Reduce the Resolution, Reduce the colour depth and apply
compression.
2. Explain what is meant by On-Line help.
Help with the features of the software built into the software.
3. What is a foreign Key?
A Key that is a Primary Key in another Table not a primary key in the
table it is in.
4. What is the name of person in charge of budget and making targets
in a Multimedia project?
Project Manager
5. What is the job title of the person who would sketch the story
boards for the various screens in a Multimedia project?
Multimedia Designer
6. State the job title of the person who might prepare sound files to be
used for a multimedia project.
Media Specialist
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Audio
Sound is stored as lots of individual samples. A
sample is a small clip of sound.
Thousands of samples are taken every second
when capturing sound.
The more samples taken per second the better
the quality of the audio and the larger the size of
the audio file.
Sampling Rate
SAMPLING RATE is the number of samples of
sound taken per second when capturing sound.
This could be 11,000 samples per second or
22,000 samples per second.
The term hertz is used for “per second”, so
audio sampling rate is written as 11,000 hertz or
more usually as 11 Khz.
Khz means
Sampling Rate
SAMPLING RATE is the number of
samples of sound per second e.g. 11,000
Hertz.
The higher the Sampling Rate:
1) The better the QUALITY of sound.
2) The bigger the file size.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Audio
Sounds are stored in bits.
There are usually 8 bits or 16 bits for every sample.
8 bits gives 256 different sounds/notes.
The number of bits used for the sounds is called the
sampling depth (or sampling resolution).
Sampling Depth
Sampling depth
This is the size of each sample measured in
bits and this is usually either 8 bits or 16 bits.
The higher the Sampling Depth:
1)The higher the quality of the sound file.
2)The larger the file size.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Audio
The bigger the sampling depth the more
sounds/notes you can have and the clearer
the audio will sound (better quality).
The bigger the sampling depth, the bigger the
size of the audio file.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Compression
to compress – to make smaller in size
Multimedia files are often large because they
contain graphic files and audio files. There are ways
to compress graphic and audio files, without losing
much quality, to save storage space.
Smaller files are also transmitted quicker over the
internet.
(For audio files MP3 is the type of compression used.)
In summary
The quality and size of Graphic files is affected by:
•Resolution (dpi)
•Colour Depth (e.g. 24 bits)
The quality and size of Sound files is affected by:
•Sampling Rate
•Sampling Depth
Compression can be applied to both types of files
to reduce the file size.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Implementation of media elements
Terms
Many multimedia pages have nodes, links
and anchors.
• Node – an item of information (text box,
image, whole page)
• Link – address to go to
• Anchor – the item you click on to jump to
another page e.g. Text, Button.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Testing
Description of different tests:
• Screen tests
• Navigational tests
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Documentation
• Hardware and software requirements
• User instructions
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Documentation
COPYRIGHT ISSUES
• Copyright licences
• Copyright, Design & Patents Act
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT:
Evaluation
• Fitness for purpose