Multimedia And Instructional Design

1
Multimedia Design
2
Objectives

• By completion of this session, you will be able
  to
• Organize your multimedia project
• Develop Flowcharts and Storyboards that
  represent
• the product
• Specify Screen Designs
• Be equipped with basic Design Guidelines for
• designing a multimedia product

3
A Design Model
DECIDE Determine Project Goals Brainstorm
Content Conduct Research
E V A L UA T E
E V A L UA T E
DESIGN Draw Flow Charts Specify Screen
Designs Create StoryBoards
DEVELOP Audio, Video, Graphics, Animation Using
Authoring Software
4
Design Model Phases
During the Develop Phase, all of the different
media components Text, Graphics, Audio, ,Video
and Animation are brought together using
authoring tools. EVALUATE as you go

• The Decide Phase defines the project
• Goals
• Target Audience
• Ideas
• Topic
• Research
• Team Member Expertise
• EVALUATE as you go

During the Design Phase project teams use the
information Decided Upon to develop blue
prints for the final product. EVALUATE as you go
5
Design Phase Decisions

• Take the Product Goals that were Decided upon and
  determine
• Who is the Target Audience?
• Who will be the primary users of the multimedia
  product?
• What is the target audience background? Age?
  Experience?
• What Is The Intent Of The Project?
• Project Title
• Project Goals
• Project Outcomes
• Content Outline
• What is the Development Timeline?
• How much content can successfully be developed
  in that time?

6
Design Phase Decisions - Content

• Information Design
• The goal is to communicate a message, whether
  the product is
• a game to play,
• a tutorial to learn a skill from,
• a marketing exercise,
• an information provider.
• Does the product content already exist and can
  it be used?
• The quantity must be right sufficient but not
  too much information.
• The content must be factually accurate.
• The content must be organised into a logical
  structure.
• The design decision is how best to communicate
  the message.

7
Design Phase Decisions - Style

• Aesthetic Design
• Determine a style for the product
• what style of graphical images will be used?
• what visual effects are required?
• what colour scheme? is a house style
  required?
• what style of text? fonts, size, colour?
• will a theme run throughout, or will each screen
  be different?
• Navigation style
• There are several navigation styles to choose
  from
• sequential,
• menu structure,
• tree structure etc.
• Remember the message and the audience.

8
Design Phase Products

• Outline of the Product Content
• Flow Charts
• Screen Designs and User Interface
• Storyboards

9
Creating Product Flow Charts
Main Topic

• Flow Charts provide a VISUAL representation of
  the sequence and structure of the product.
• Different types of Flow Chart structures include
• Linear
• Tree
• Star

Home
Games
Hot Links
email
Star Structured Flow Chart
Slide 3
Slide 1
Slide 2
Linear Flow Chart
10
Linear Flow Chart
Slide 1
Slide 2
Slide 3
Linear Flow Charts depict presentations with a
specific sequence of step by step
procedures. They usually go Forward or
Backward. Power Point is a classic example for a
linear flow chart.
11
Tree Structure Flow Chart
Family Pets
Dogs
Cats
Reptiles
History
Breeds
History
Breeds
History
Breeds

• Tree Structures are appropriate when a Main topic
  branches into several other Sub topics.
• Movement options usually allow users to branch
• Forward
• Backward
• Previous
• Main Topic

12
Star Structures

• Star structures are used when one idea branches
  into several other single ideas.
• Web pages and hypermedia programs are usually
  designed with a Star format.
• Users may navigate in a variety of directions.
  In most instances, users may branch
• Forward
• Backward
• Main Menu

Quiz
Home
Games
Hot Links
email
Subject Matter
13
Creating Flow Charts
Identify each main topic. Identify and Group
together smaller sub-topics. Based upon the
content, draw the order or sequencing of the
Product. Make sure each topic is
labeled. Systematically go through the
sequencing.
Evaluate, Refine and Make Modifications as you go.
14
Specifying Screen Designs
Power Point Presentation
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/tweenies/
Defining Screen Design layouts prior to
developing the project helps to create a
consistent format for the project.
15
Consistent Screen Layouts
Title
Instructional Text

• Determine the following for each screen type
• Title location
• Informational/Instructional text,
• font, location
• Graphics location and relationship
• with supporting text
• Navigational Options

Graphics
Navigation
16
Creating Storyboards
Storyboards enable you to create a mock up of the
multimedia project BEFORE committing to anything!
Storyboards provide the supporting details for
each screen Text Bullets Audio Files
Colors Video Files Animations Graphics
Font type and Size DETAILS DETAILS DETAILS!!! T
est out the presentation on paper first! Its
easy to make changes with the Story Boards.
17
Creating Storyboards

• Collect the tools
• a very large sheet of paper or card, or
• several smaller sheets,
• pen or pencil, coloured pens.
• Represent the components
• Sketch the components that will be displayed on
  each screen, including text (rough sketches will
  do for a first draft).
• Add the navigation structure
• draw the buttons,
• show the links (e.g. with arrows or numbered
  screens)

18
Creating Storyboards

• Annotate the drawings
• show where animations will occur,
• indicate which sound files will play and where,
• add any other effects (transitions, text effects
  etc.).
• Add detail
• add an indication of colour to the background and
  the text,
• describe text fonts/styles.
• Produce a document fit to show a user/client
• attractive,
• clear,
• gets the message across!

19
Creating Storyboards

• Advantages of storyboarding
• The designer is forced to think visually to
  convey the message.
• The storyboard is flexible, allowing designers to
  rearrange ideas.
• It can be used to show the flow between scenes,
  enabling the multimedia author to keep track of
  the action during development.
• The storyboard can be shown to the client for
  approval before committing to development of the
  product.

20
Flow Charts Screen Designs Storyboards
Quiz
Title
Graphic
Questions
Back
Forward
Home
Games
Hot Links
2. Screen Designs
email
Subject Matter
Specify Layouts Specify Fonts Details Flow and
Order Colors Sounds and other effects
1. Flow Chart
3. Storyboards
21
Design Issues to Consider
What Makes a Good Multimedia Presentation Design?
22
What Rules Apply?

• The design must be Clear and Eye Catching.
• The user needs to be able to quickly grasp
  and understand what is being presented.
• The message must be clear, focused and
  concise.
• Combine high quality graphical images, easy
  to use navigation tools and logical
  presentation of material.
• Pay attention to the multimedia navigation,
  multimedia
• presentation organization and consistency
  between pages.

23
Overall Design Considerations
Consider Your Audience Determine who your target
audience is. Design the multimedia product with
their needs in mind. Establish
Consistency Consistency is extremely important
with multimedia screen design. When creating
your screens, make sure that the flow and
consistency of look and feel are adhered
to. Visually, visitors need to know what they
are doing.
24
Overall Design Considerations
Choose a Background Consider the background early
in the design process. Ensure good contrast
between the text and background so the
information may be read easily. Some
text/background colour combinations should be
avoided, e.g. red/black, blue/black,
red/green. Create A Logical Navigation System
Users want to locate information quickly and
easily. Repeat the navigational tool on every
screen.
25
Design Phase Outcomes
Outline of the Product Content Evaluate Flow
Chart Evaluate Screen Designs and User
Interface Evaluate Storyboard
26
Design is an Cyclic Process
Decide
Each Phase produces information that is passed
onto the next. Evaluating the content and making
changes is part of the process.
Evaluate
Evaluate
Multimedia Project Development
Develop
Design
Evaluate
27
Evaluate The Design Phase Deliverables
Summary Planning Designing Verify the
research information obtained during the Decide
Phase, the ideas defined can be mapped using
Flowcharts. Map out the flow using a flowchart
make sure sequencing and all links and are
defined. Once flowcharts are approved, begin the
Storyboard. Make sure everything is clear and
complete! Now you are ready to produce the
multimedia document.