Authoring and multimedia - Arthur Phillip High School

CHAPTER 99AuthoringAuthoringandmultimediaSyllabus outcomes5.2.1 Describes and applies problem-solving processes whencreating solutions.5.2.2 Designs, produces and evaluates appropriate solutions to arange of challenging problems.5.2.3 Critically analyses decision-making processes in a range ofinformation and software solutions.OverviewThe chapter examines multimedia and develops skills in usingauthoring software. First we describe the types of multimediaproducts and recognise the features of data types for multimediaproducts. Multimedia software and the design principles used inmultimedia products are examined.

9.1 Multimedia productsMultimedia is the presentation of information using text, graphics,animation, audio and video. It uses at least three different datatypes. Multimedia has the potential to provide a better experiencethan any other information medium. It can combine the best oftelevision, film, graphics, animation, books, magazines and radio.The result of using authoring software is called a multimediaproduct or a multimedia presentation.A key feature of multimedia is interactivity. It allows the user tochoose the sequence and content of information. A multimediaThe interactivenature of multimediaallows theuser to take partin the experience.It is different fromtelevision andvideo where wehave no controlover theinformation flow.product is often judged on the quantity of interactivity. TheInternet is an example of an interactive environment. Theexpression ‘surfing the Net’ or ‘browsing’ refers to the experience ofjumping from one page to another using interactivity. Interactivemultimedia accepts input from a mouse, touch screen or keyboardand performs some action. Hypertext is used to navigate through amultimedia product.Hypertext is a system that allows documents to be cross-linkedin such a way that the user can move from one document to anotherby clicking on text. Hypertext links—or hyperlinks—are usuallyidentified using an underlined text and/or a different text colour.The author of the hypertext must specify the destination of thatFigure 9.1 Multimedia on the Internet192 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

link. In a multimedia product the link may be to another screen,audio, animation or video. When you click on a link you movefrom one document to another, even if they contain different datatypes. Hypertext provides the interactivity in the multimedia product.The developments in information technology have allowedpeople to create multimedia products that were once only developedby film professionals. Multimedia products are very demanding andrequire the latest technology, such as a fast processor, large memory,high-resolution screen, quality speakers and the latest in storagedevices. Advances in information technology are influencingmultimedia development. For example, improvements incommunication speed and capacity on the Internet have turned itinto a medium to deliver multimedia (see Figure 9.1). Multimediais extensively used in education, entertainment and information.Lit 2.1EducationMultimedia is very effective at helping people to learn. A goodmultimedia product that uses different data types maintains theuser’s interest. The interactive nature of multimedia allows the userto control the learning. It addresses each user’s particular needs.Multimedia also allows training to be carried out at convenienttimes and is developed to cater for a wide range of abilities. It is acost effective method of teaching people.Computer based training (CBT) is a type of multimediaproduct used for education and training. A person uses CBT attheir own pace. Information is presented using different types ofmedia and the user has the opportunity to review misunderstoodconcepts. CBT is designed by experts in their field to cater fordifferent rates of learning. Interactivity in CBT is the basis for anindividual to progress through the system. CBT usually containssome form of assessment to determine whether an individual isready for the next level.EntertainmentMultimedia designed for entertainment is generally classified ascomputer games. Computer games provide a high level ofinteractivity. The responses of the user determine the game beingplayed. The sequence of actions is determined by the gamedesigner. Games tend to be time restricted and contain complexanimation. The level and amount of text is limited. Depending onthe type of game the navigation may be deliberately hidden untilthe user reaches a certain level. Computer games feature high-9 Authoring and multimedia193

Figure 9.2 Xbox Liveresolution images, audio, animation and video. They often usesome form of alternative to the keyboard for input such as ajoystick. Developments in technology have resulted in computergames that are more realistic. Games are increasingly being playedover the Internet (see Figure 9.2).InformationMultimedia provides users with an easy way to display information.The user controls when, how and what information will bedisplayed. The interactive nature of multimedia allows the user tosearch using related keywords to find specific information. This is adistinct advantage over printed forms of the same material. Amultimedia encyclopaedia is a good example of multimedia beingused to store information. It displays information using text,graphics, audio, animation and video. This makes it easier forpeople to understand the information.Multimedia kiosks allow people to use a touch screen and selectinformation about an organisation or service. Informationdisplayed depends on the selections of the user. Multimedia kioskscommonly provide information about items, the location of itemsor a map to a particular product or service. They use largenavigation buttons with few options. Kiosks can also be used toprovide information to the organisation. The selections made bythe user are a source of information about the interest in a productor service.194 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

Exercise 9.11 Copy and complete the following sentences:a The result of multimedia is called a _______b _______ is a key feature of multimedia.c Hypertext links are usually identified by an _______.d A multimedia _______ is a good example of multimedia beingused to store information.2 True or false?a Multimedia requires at least fourdata types.b Multimedia products are verydemanding and require thelatest technology.c CBT is designed by experts intheir field to cater fordifferent rates of learning.d Computer games provide alow level of interactivity.3 What am I?a The presentation ofinformation using text,graphics, animation, audio andvideo.b It is used to navigate through amultimedia product.c A type of multimedia product used foreducation.d A multimedia product that allows people to use a touch screenand select information about an organisation or service.4 a Why is the Internet an example of an interactive environment?b What is hypertext?c How are developments in information technology affectingmultimedia?d Why is multimedia very effective at helping people to learn?e Describe some of the features of computer games.f Why is multimedia used to display information?Development5 Games have been a driving force for improvements in informationtechnology. Do research into the latest computer games for the PC.What are the system requirements for these games? Describe themultimedia features of these games. Write a report thatsummarises your investigation.6 Compare and contrast a multimedia encyclopaedia with a printencyclopaedia. Describe the data types used in both multimediaand print encyclopaedias. What navigation methods were used inthe multimedia encyclopaedia?9 Authoring and multimedia195

9.2 Data typesWhen creating a multimedia product the data is acquired fromanother application or imported using an appropriate file format.The features of the different data types are described below.Lit 2.2Lit 2.3InteractiveTextText is data in the form of letters, numbers and other specialcharacters. Text is written using a word processor or within theauthoring software. It is edited in many different ways, such asdeleting, inserting, moving and copying. Some common fileformats for text include:• DOC (document) is the format used by Microsoft Word. DOCfiles maintain their formatting and can contain other datatypes.• TXT (text) files or ASCII is a standard format to store text andnumeric data. It is essentially raw text without any formatting.Each byte in the file contains one character that conforms to thestandard ASCII code.• RTF (rich text format) is a standard developed by Microsoft forspecifying the format of text documents. RTF files are actuallyASCII files with special commands to indicate the formatting ofcharacters and paragraphs.• PDF (portable document format) is a file format developed byAdobe Systems. A PDF file contains a combination of text andgraphics. Documents downloaded from the Internet are often inPDF format.GraphicsGraphics are pictures such as drawings, paintings or photographs.Graphics are used to create interest and provide information. Theycan be stored, edited and transferred in similar ways to text. Graphicsare created using graphics programs or captured using a scanner,digital camera or video camera. All graphics are displayed usingtiny dots called pixels. A pixel (picture element) is the smallest partof the screen that can be controlled by the computer. The totalnumber of pixels on the screen is called its resolution. There aretwo types of graphics: bit-mapped graphics and vector graphics.Bit-mapped graphics (raster graphics) store and manipulate eachpixel. They produce good quality images where shading and finedetail are needed. However, when resized bit-mapped graphicsbecome ragged and suffer loss of resolution. Enlarging the graphic196 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

9.3 Authoring softwaresystemsMultimedia is created and displayed using a range of multimediasoftware such as presentation software, multimedia authoring andweb authoring.Presentation softwarePresentation software is used to make a multimedia presentation toa group of people. A presentation consists of a series of slides. Aslide is an individual screen or page of the presentation. Each slidemay contain text, graphics, animation, audio and video. Each ofthese elements is treated as an object. A presentation is a group ofobjects positioned on one or more slides. Some popularpresentation software includes Microsoft PowerPoint, LotusFreelance and Aldus Persuasion (see Figure 9.6).Presentation software often allows you to create several differenttypes of documents such as:• Onscreen presentations—slides displayed on a monitor orprojected onto a screen. The timing of the presentation iscontrolled either automatically or manually. Automatic requiresthe user to set the timings for each slide so that the slidesadvance by themselves. Slides advance manually by clicking themouse button.Figure 9.6 Microsoft PowerPoint202 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

• Audience handouts—content of one or more slides on a page.Handouts are given to people who attend the presentation.• Overhead transparencies—slides printed on transparent film foruse with an overhead projector. They can be in black and whiteor colour, and in portrait or landscape orientation.• Speaker’s notes—notes the speaker may need to refer to whendiscussing the slides.Multimedia authoringMultimedia authoring software is used to create and edit a multimediaproduct. It allows the user to combine the different data typessuch as text, graphics, audio, animation and video. Multimediaauthoring software is designed to produce self-contained applicationsfor a CD or DVD, as a part of an information kiosk or to run on theInternet. Multimedia authoring software provides a much greaterlevel of interactivity than presentation software. A multimedia productis created by first developing each of the data types. It is often completedby a group of people, each of them specialising in a data type suchas video or audio. They create their part of the project usingseparate applications and import files into the authoring software.Authoring software also allows the user to create the interactivity.Most authoring software shares similar features. Some popularauthoring software includes:• Macromedia Director—uses a movie to create the multimediaproduct. It treats each file as a cast member of a production.These files will appear at a particular time, position and appearfor a certain length of time. A cast window is used to storedifferent data types and a store window is used to synchronisethe different elements.• Macromedia Authorware—uses a flowchart to create themultimedia product. A flowchart consists of a number of iconsthat represent a specific programming task such as a selection.Macromedia Authorware specialises in creating multimediatraining courses.• HyperStudio—uses a card-and-stack user interface that wasoriginally introduced with Apple’s HyperCard. A multimediaproduct is constructed as a stack of cards. A card represents ascreen and contains different data types. Buttons are placed onthe cards to provide the interactivity.• Asymetrix ToolBook—uses a similar interface to HyperStudioexcept a book replaces a stack and a page replaces a card. It usesOpenScript as a programming language.Lit 2.59 Authoring and multimedia203

Web authoringWeb authoring software is used to create and manage a multimediawebsite. Websites contain a range of data types, such as text,graphics, animation, audio and streamed video. The web authoringsoftware will position and display objects, as they would be viewedthrough a web browser. Many programs allow the user to manageentire websites using tools that automate repetitive tasks. Somepopular web authoring software includes:• Macromedia Dreamweaver—is the industry standard used byprofessional designers (see Figure 9.7). It creates HTML(hypertext markup language) code that is efficient andcompatible with any browser or platform.• Microsoft FrontPage—is used by small business and home users.It has an intuitive layout with easy to use templates. Users havethe ability to view and edit the HTML code.Web animation software such as Macromedia Flash has developedinto a multimedia program. In addition to creating animationssuch programs now include text, graphics, audio and video.Macromedia Flash also contains programming languages forcreating interactive applications.Figure 9.7 Macromedia Dreamweaver204 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

Project: Total MusicTotal Music is a local band that would like to create a multimediaproduct of their material. The multimedia product is to include theirmusic, video clips of the band and interviews with the band members.Imran from MediaCom was chosen by Total Music to develop the product.The problem was solved using the four stages in project development.• Define and analyse the problem: A meeting with the band wasarranged to discuss the selection of songs, opportunities to videoa live performance, appropriate topics for the interviews and anyideas for design of the product. A project plan was written andsubmitted for approval to the band.• Design possible solutions: Imran investigated the featuresof similar multimedia products. He decided on threepossible solutions and created a storyboard foreach solution. A feasibility report was writtenand presented to the band. Therecommendation from the feasibilityreport was accepted by the band.• Produce the solution: The multimediaproduct was constructed usingMacromedia Director. Each screen hadthe same layout, format and style.Photographs taken of the band attheir last concert were used to createinterest. A music session was used torecord the band’s music and film theinterviews with the band members. Eachpiece of data was imported into Directorand the final product tested.• Evaluate the solution: The multimediaproduct was presented to the band. Theband was pleased with the finalproduct and is using it for promotionoutside the local area.ICT 9.1Tasks1 Construct a storyboard that would beappropriate for this project.2 Do research into the features of the latestmultimedia authoring software. Write a briefreport that summarises your investigation.9 Authoring and multimedia205

Exercise 9.31 Copy and complete the following by replacing the letter in bracketswith a suitable term:Multimedia authoring software is used to (a) and (b) a multimediaproduct. It is designed to produce self-contained (c) for a CD orDVD, as a part of an information (d) or to run on the Internet.2 True or false?a Microsoft PowerPoint is a popular web authoring program.b Presentation software allows you to create audience handouts.c Macromedia Director uses a card-and-stack user interface.d Web authoring software will position and display objects, asthey would be viewed through a web browser.3 Unjumble these words:a etasenoptirn wsarofteb gaouthrin4 a What is the purpose of presentation software?b List some different types of documents that can be created bypresentation software.c How is a multimedia product created using multimediaauthoring software?d What is web authoring software?e Describe Macromedia Dreamweaver.Development5 Create a multimedia presentation on a multimedia product. Theproduct could be a software application such as an educationalprogram or a computer game. Your presentation should usedifferent data types.6 Investigate the authoring software that you have available in yourschool. Write a report that outlines the steps taken to construct amultimedia product. Share your investigation with the class.9.4 Multimedia designA multimedia product needs to be carefully designed. It involvesconforming to certain design principles.Lit 2.6Design principlesThe different data types must be combined into one effectivemultimedia product. The design of each screen should be based onthe three basic design principles:• Consistent: Layout, format and style should be the samethroughout the multimedia product unless different data typesdemand a change. Readability is improved when similar items206 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

are grouped. Grouping is achieved by spacing, use of colour forthe text and changing the backgrounds or borders.• Navigation: Users need to understand the structure of themultimedia product and be able to find information they wanteasily. The time taken to respond to a user’s action is important.People become frustrated if they have to wait more than a fewseconds for the next screen or a video clip to load.• Simple: Do not overuse design elements as this will create visualclutter and confuse the user. The overuse of colour, sound andanimations can be distracting.Text should be short, simple and relevant. It is better to provide textin concise bursts using short paragraphs (see Figure 9.8). For longersections of text, consider providing a brief introduction and theninclude a link to the full version on another page. Design principlesto format text include:• Fonts: Use at most three different fonts. Both sans serif typefaces(such as Arial, Verdana or Georgia) and serif typefaces (such asTimes Roman) can be used for text. Care should be taken usingfont variations such as bold and italic. Use different sizeheadings to reflect their importance.• Screen layout: Appropriate conventions exist for column width,alignment, line spacing, character spacing, indentation,hyphenation and kerning. Long lines of text are difficult to read.Double spacing improves readability. Bullets and numbering arecommon ways to organise text in a multimedia product.It is tempting touse all the bellsand whistles of theauthoring software.Remember thatthe message ismore importantthan the media.Figure 9.8 Multimedia website using good design9 Authoring and multimedia207

• Colour scheme: This contributes to the style and theme of amultimedia product. Colour draws attention to the text. Somecolours should not be used together as they produce poorcontrast and reduce readability. For example, blue text on a redbackground. Too many different colours can be distracting andreduce readability. Use colour in a consistent way so users easilyrecognise the different elements.Graphics and animations are used to create interest and provideinformation. However, they place extra demands on the multimediaproduct, so need to be used carefully. The position and size of agraphic or animation is dependent on its importance and balancewith the other design elements. It can support or weaken amultimedia product. If too many images are used the product losesits impact. The same goes for animations. Animations should beused sparingly, such as to introduce a new section within themultimedia product. Images and animations are edited andadjusted to suit the screen resolution. The resolution of a graphic isdependent on the screen and the number of colours that can bedisplayed. The intention of a graphic must be easily understood.For example, a graphic might guide the user to another section of amultimedia product. Titling is the placement of a caption toaccompany the graphic.Audio and video are also used to create interest and provideinformation. An occasional burst of sound for special effect willfocus the audience on the multimedia. However, the frequent use ofsound effects can draw attention away from the main information.Audio and video can be excellent media to explain concepts,however, they place extra demands on the user’s computer system.A decision on the use of sounds and video is often made in termsof providing exciting additional elements and ensuring themultimedia product will function effectively. Audio and video filesare usually very large and this factor must be taken into accountbefore including them in the multimedia product.Script and storyboardA script and a storyboard are two tools used to organise amultimedia product. A script is a printout of all the text, graphics,animation, audio and video used in the production. It outlines theinteractivity in the project. A script gives directions for theconstruction of the multimedia product. It is a textual method ofrepresenting ideas and actions. On the other hand, a storyboard is a208 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

series of frames each representing a different action or screenimage. It is a visual method of representing ideas and actions.Storyboards are drawn on paper or involve the use ofstoryboarding tools. They are frequently edited. Multimediastoryboards define each screen and the specific data types used.They consist of navigation paths, information and graphics. Thereare four basic storyboard layouts (see Figure 9.9):Figure 9.9 Storyboard layouts• Linear—a simple sequential path that is set up quickly. It is anappropriate layout when users are expected to examine eachframe before moving to the next frame.• Hierarchical—a sequential path in a top-down design. It startsat the beginning and moves down through the multimediaproduct. This layout allows users to choose their direction andexplore a particular topic in greater depth.• Non-linear (random)—no particular structure. It movesbetween different layouts in any direction. This layout is oftenused in multimedia encycloaedias as it gives users theopportunity to explore.• Combination—a blending ofthe all these layout types.9 Authoring and multimedia209

Exercise 9.41 What am I?a A storyboard layout that has no particular structure.b A serif typeface commonly used for text.c A series of frames each representing a different action orscreen image.2 Copy and complete the following by replacing the letter in bracketswith a suitable term:The position and (a) of a graphic or animation is dependent on its(b) and balance with the other design elements. Graphics andanimations are edited and adjusted to suit the screen (c). Titling isthe placement of a (d) to accompany a graphic.3 Copy and complete the following sentences:a The layout, format and style should be the _______ throughoutthe multimedia product.b Bullets and _______ are common ways to organise text in amultimedia product.c Audio and video place extra _______ on the user’s computersystem.d A _______ is a printout of all the text, graphics, animation,audio and video used in the production.4 a List the three basic design principles.b Describe the design principles for using fonts.c What is the purpose of a colour scheme?d How should audio and video be used in a multimedia product?e Describe multimedia storyboards.f List the four basic storyboard layouts.ICT 9.2Development5 Do research into at least three websites that offer advice on designprinciples for multimedia. Write a report that summarises yourinvestigation.6 Create a multimedia product for a kiosk for the foyer of yourschool. The multimedia product aims to display information aboutthe school for the community (Exercise 9.2, Question 6):a Construct a storyboard for the multimedia product.b Describe the design features used in the product.c Outline any issues that have been raised in developing theproduct, such as privacy and copyright.d Display your multimedia product to the class.210 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

Part A: Multiple choice questionsSelect the alternative (a), (b), (c) or (d) that best answers each question.1 Which of the following statements isincorrect?a Multimedia uses at least threedata typesb Data types of the multimediaproduct are created within theauthoring softwarec Interactivity is a key feature ofmultimediad Multimedia products are verydemanding and require the latesttechnology2 Which of the following describeshypertext?abcdAllows documents to be crosslinkedin such a way that the usercan move from one document toanotherData in the form of letters,numbers and other specialcharactersUsed to create and manage amultimedia websitePopular multimedia authoringsoftware3 Which of the following is a commonfile format used for bit-mappedgraphics?a PDFb DOCc MPGd JPG4 Which of the following describesvector graphics?a Store pictures as a collection ofobjects such as shapes and linesb Are created using a paintingprogramc Is the movement of an objectd Store and manipulate each pixelrather than as shapes and lines5 Which of the following is not acommon file format for video?a MPGb SWFc AVId WMV6 Which of the following is an exampleof web authoring software?a Microsoft PowerPointb HyperStudioc Asymetrix ToolBookd Macromedia Dreamweaver7 Which of the following statements isincorrect?abcdPresentation software provides amuch greater level of interactivitythan multimedia authoringsoftwareA presentation consists of a seriesof slides that may contain text,graphics, animations, audio andvideoMultimedia authoring software isdesigned to create self-containedapplications for a CDWeb authoring software willposition and display objects asthey would be viewed through aweb browser8 Design principles to format textinvolve using which of thefollowing?a More than three different fontsb Either a sans serif typeface or aserif typefacec Font variations freely to improvereadabilityd The same size headings9 Authoring and multimedia211

9 A series of frames each representinga different action or screen image isknown as which of the following?a Storyboardb Scriptc Screen layoutd Navigation10 Which of the following designprinciples is incorrect?abcdLayout, format and style should beconsistent throughout themultimedia productDo not overuse design elements asthis will create visual clutter andconfuse the userSimple navigation through themultimedia product is animportant design principleReadability is improved by using arange of different coloursPart B: Matching the termFor each of the following statements (1 to 10), select from the list of terms (a to j)the one that most closely fits the statement.Statements1 The presentation of information usingtext, graphics, animation, audio andvideo.2 A key feature of multimedia. Itallows the user to choose thesequence and content of information.3 Graphic file format to store andmanipulate each pixel rather than asshapes and lines.4 Graphic file format to store picturesas a collection of objects such asshapes and lines.5 Animation process of generating theintermediate frames between twoobjects.6 Software used to make a multimediapresentation to a group of people.7 Software used to create and edit amultimedia product.8 Software used to create and managea multimedia website.9 A printout of all the text, graphics,animation, audio and video used inthe production.10 A series of frames each representinga different action or screen image.Termsa Bit-mapped graphicb Interactivityc Multimediad Multimedia authoring softwaree Presentation softwarefghijScriptStoryboardTweeningVector graphicWeb authoring software212 HI Tech: Information and Software Technology

Part C: Extended response questionsWrite at least one paragraph for each of the following:1 Define multimedia. What makesmultimedia different to otherinformation media such asnewspapers and radio?2 What are the three areas of use formultimedia products? Briefly describethose areas.3 Multimedia products use acompressed file format for graphic,audio and video. Name and describetwo compressed file formats for eachof these data types.4 There is a range of authoringsoftware for multimedia. Thissoftware is constantly being upgradedwith new features. Describe threepopular software packages that areavailable for multimedia.5 Outline the three basic designprinciples for an effective multimediaproduct. Illustrate your answer withsketches.6 Creating a multimedia productrequires a logical approach. Describetwo tools used to organise amultimedia product.e TesterProject: Electronic yearbookCreate a multimedia product that is a snapshot of your cohort for this year.Suggested material could include features of your school, issues, aspirations ofstudents, famous quotes, embarrassing moments, poems, photographs, current musicand movies, cultural events, excursions, videos or results of surveys. This is a groupproject that requires each member of the group to create a separate section. Yoursolution is to be developed using the four stages in project development.Project 2.1Project 2.2Project 2.39 Authoring and multimedia213