Title:
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A graphic designer's considerations in multimedia application development.
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Multimedia has been increasingly identified as a new medium of communication. However, the
development of this medium has been largely driven by technological concerns, with apparently
little regard for its (visual, conceptual) design. In conjunction with this, graphic designers have
been experiencing a 'shift in their working practices and roles, with designers not only required to
design on screen (for print), but also increasingly to design for screen, i. e. for multimedia and other
screen-based, multimodal, interactive forms.
These two factors, combined with an overall lack of understanding of the issues involved in
designing for multimedia, suggested a real need for research into this area. The objective of the
current research was therefore to reveal and identify the key and/or unique issues and
considerations, which a graphic designer employs when designing and developing interactive
multimedia (applications).
A number of factors defined the subsequent methodology. These included, a lack of formalised
knowledge or critical understanding of multimedia design specifically, or indeed graphic design
generally; a limited number of established (UK) multimedia developers with an active reputation
for 'design'; and relatively few multimedia design 'experts'. These factors ruled out the use of a
more traditional positivist study, based upon a multiple sample and conducted by an independent
expert-observer. Instead, a qualitatively-orientated, (single) case study was developed, based upon
the concurrent verbalisations of the author, as the single-designer-subject, observing activities selfreflectively
whilst designing a multimedia prototype.
A rich and comprehensive record of designerly activity was generated. Through processes of
iterative examination, interpretation and re-definition, a framework of considerations emerged.
These considerations were organised into five 'classes of design decision' which are identified as,
'Solution Development, 'Graphical Representation', 'Multimedia Representation', 'Design
Management' and Technical Implementation'.
These classes and indeed the model as a whole, provides graphic designers with a highly practical,
flexible and usable framework of issues and considerations, relevant when involved in designing
interactive multimedia. The model also offers an extremely useful framework for developing
multimedia design education, in addition to an effective methodological approach for studying
'new' areas of design. As such, the model and indeed the research as a whole is seen as being interdisciplinary.
This research is discussed, culminating in a description of the model.
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