Multimedia

The defining characteristics of multimedia is that the information comes in many forms, including text, photographs, videos, animations, speech and music, all of which can be rendered into digital formats, stored electronically and processed by computer. This remains the classic meaning...

Interaction is crucial...

The products are interactive, a much hyped over word that nonetheless captures an important element of multimedia, namely that the user takes an active part in selecting what is seen and heard. These are products to be worked or played with, not just looked at. For example in a computer game, children could learn about ecology by exploring a three - dimensional forest, meeting animated characters along the way and collecting plants and animals in a picture book. There could be a teledemocracy website for example providing a forum for young people in a city to debate and vote on local issues, their resolutions being forwarded to administrative bodies and media.

Content

It's all very well having the technological means to do glamorous and exciting things with multimedia, but behind the gloss there has to be a solid core of material that customers are willing to pay for. Their should also be an effective and easy to use navigation system incorporating menus, links and search facilities for a user to be able to reach the material that he or she is looking for..