Providing adequate information to users to help them progress and find their way through multimedia material is a particular challenge to designers of programmes. Feelings of being controlled by the system and frustration at being unable to stop, review progress or move to another topic are likely to impede the learning process.

The name of the course or programme should be present on the screen at all helvetica, arial. If a Windows or browser-based tool is being used, the name can be displayed in the title bar.

The section or page name/number, together with the user’s place in that section, should appear in the portion of the screen reserved for it, alongside the navigation icons. You should include the section or topic name, followed by the screen number and total screens.

Another recommended feature is the provision of a 'course map’ which is available to the user at all helvetica, arial. This helps to relate present position to the other topics that are available within the same unit. A top-level menu should also be available at all helvetica, arial.

With browser based environments it is possible to move ‘forward’ and ‘backwards’ through the material on a page by page basis, and also to move through different levels of the material by using links provided by the writers/ developers. The presence of these links needs to be indicated to the users. Links can be followed through hotwords whose function and identity was discussed in the section on Text Presentation above. However any object on the page can have these links and should be identified as such to the learner.

When an object or item has been selected and its ‘contents’ reviewed we recommend that the object be visually identified in some way such as highlighting.

All multimedia material of substantial size should include help facilities. At least two levels of help should normally be provided.

The first level should be made available by a navigational tool present in the pre-defined navigational area of the screen. It should supplement the document map and provide general help on how learners can use the system and work through the material. This information will be independent of the user’s position in the material. A useful facility could be the ability to print out this information if the user wishes it.

The second level of help should be provided as and when the developer considers it necessary. It should be specific to the page of material that the user is working on (‘context sensitive’). It could be help with an activity or help to clarify a point if prerequisite knowledge cannot be assumed. The presence of this level of help should be identified to the user when and where it occurs. The help (or more specifically clarification in this case) is then revealed to the learner .

Care should be taken in the use of colours which present help information. Avoid the ‘alarm’ colours of red and intensive yellow. Pastel colours are preferred.

• moving forward

• moving backwards

• accessing first level general help

• accessing a document map

• returning to a top level document menu which includes an option to exit.

There may be some instances where the author will determine that one or other of these functions should not be available. For example, the author may not want the user to be able to make a second attempt at an activity. In this case the ability to move back to that activity would not be present.

Navigational tools that are enabled at any time should be dimmed in some way as this is becoming a standard for the identification of function keys in many software products.

Accessing a course map should always permit the learner to return to the position from which the map was accessed.

Take care over the icons which represent the navigational tools. If possible their function should be self-evident so that a detailed explanation of their use is not required. However there is evidence to suggest that a text label should be attached to each icon so that the user can readily identify its function at an early stage (some software provides text labels appearing if the icon is touched by the mouse pointer).

In a Windows environment some producers prefer ‘hiding’ the standard windows menu bar to avoid confusing the user by the availability of too many functions. Others incorporate Windows and increasingly browser functions into their programs and documents.

Hypertext provides a series of linked 'pages' enabling substantial 'banks' and layers of hypertext pages to be developed. There are different categories of hypertext.The two most important types are:

• mark up languages, e.g. HTML for use on the World Wide Web.

• hypermedia authoring tools, e.g. Toolbook, Authorware, IconAuthor

However, as authoring and development tools develop continually, particularly for the creation of WWW resources then the division between these types has become less distinct.

When planning hypertext/media documents you will normally follow established best practice in screen design and the user interface. However you should also observe the specific requirements of the medium. Issues you need to consider are:

• ensure sufficient interactivity – ‘electronic page turning’ serves little purpose. Create documents to download or provide interactivity if.

• work to a specification and plan – do not let the program grow unspecified and unrecorded. Consider hypertext as a series of layers

• make the structure as explicit as possible to the user

• restrict the number of links per screen – avoid confusion. Provide a hypertext link where there is a clear rationale, i.e. there is more useful information to be provided

• use colour (where available) to indicate links, but use a simple scheme. Multi-colours and layers can be confusing.

• provide clear navigation including:

– move back to past screen

– return to a main screen, menu or page

– tracking to enable users to check where they have been

• include visual material and documents where possible

• consider if pre-selected routes are appropriate, i.e. for overviews and ‘fastrack’ use

• provide summaries and opportunities for users to assess whether the material is relevant

• include a "how to use’ section to introduce the material and give an indication of what is included in the program

In this activity you can summarise the main features of any multimedia materials you develop. It focuses on the design features rather than technical standards and should enable you to specify in broad terms your preferences and ideas. Under each of the headings, note specific features and methods you wish to include. Refer back to the guidelines in this unit to check some options.

Background colours

Foreground colours

Typeface

Use of icons and symbols

Text presentation

Screen layout

Other features

Navigation

What navigation information will you provide?

What form of help will be used?

What options for moving around the material will be provided?

The World Wide Web and other services of distributing material over networks provide an increasingly common option. These will dominate ODL in the near future because:

• it can be very cost-effective -

• material can be provided rapidly

• updating and version control are easier

• a range of material and media can be included

• users can select items and format them in a way which is useful to them

• access can be maximised

• producers can track use/take-up of material

• feedback can be gathered

• tools such as Java give options for downloading interactive resources.

Education and training providers or users have already made the following uses of network services and the WWW:

• advertising courses, e.g. via Internet

• providing resource banks of learning materials

• automatically sending new materials and updates to readers using e-mail and list servers

• gathering comments, revisions and feedback, e.g. via feedback forms

• linking learners to supporters in a way that is integrated with the materials

• increasing circulation by reaching ‘opportunistic readers/browsers’ – adding to existing search engines within browsing software

• finding interested potential learners

• monitoring interest in the course

• collaborative authoring

The purpose of this unit is not to explain how to set up a World Wide Web site or establish a server. However there are a number of guidelines you should follow. These have been divided into three categories:

• Approach

• Producing documents

• Management

Defining an overall approach to how you use network services is a particularly important step. The following issues need to be considered:

• be clear about what you are using; distinguish between:

– servers

– external network services

– Internal network

– WWW

– Intranet

– Extranet

– other uses of the Internet

- hypertext

– hypermedia

• if you are planning to use the WWW and the Internet, consider:

– security

– access by your target audience

– whether sufficient interactivity is available

– your organisation's access to expertise in creating WWW resources.

All World Wide Web documents are created in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). There are three ways of creating HTML documents:

• convert an existing document - text conversion tools are widely available. These have a variety of functions.

• produce direct in HTML via a tool/editor for use with a word processing or other authoring package

• work direct on ‘raw’ HTML

You may find you need to use all methods depending on the availability of existing documents and the type of material included. Most developers of Web resources find the use of an HTML development tool alongside mainstream word processing and desktop publishing packages is a time efficient method. There are also a number of validation tools available which can help you check the syntax of materials you have created.

One of the attractions of producing materials in the Web is that they can use a range of images. They can also link to other media such as video and audio. However the WWW is only the carrier and relies on the availability of applications other than the Web browser, i.e. other media can be referenced and linked to a Web document but at present cannot be integrated into it.

The WWW is developing rapidly and new tools and programs are becoming available every week. Producing Web documents will become more streamlined and the quality and interactivity of materials will increase. The guidelines in this section concentrate on issues of design and development of Web documents and are not specific to any tool, browser or system.

Consider:

• the World Wide Web holds documents in HTML (Hypertext MarkUp Language). These should be designed in line with the look and feel for other forms of Hypertext.

• when HTML was created the emphasis was placed on the ability of the user to format the material to their preference. Different Web browsers have varying user interfaces, fonts and appearances; therefore the same document can look different when viewed on different browsers. The hardware platforms such as PC, Macintosh, X Windows and Unix workstations will also have an influence on the exact look of the screen.

• users may access World Wide Web on a variety of computers – keep this in mind when designing Web documents. Remember:

  • match the capabilities for manipulating graphical and video information
  • users will have different systems and constraints, e.g. dedicated modems, dial up network links, slow lines/limited bandwidths.

• retain high levels of screen design for home pagtes and other key screens which present a project image.

• consider layering and prioritising material to decide which should have the greater levels of page design

• use word processing, desktop publishing and authoring packages which have HTML tools for speed

• structure new documents in small chunks suitable for the format and rework existing text documents. Do not simply devise text documents without a clear purpose. Provide specifically designed World Wide Web documents where possible

• ensure ‘top level’ or ‘front’ documents are short with any essential larger documents in the background

• follow computer screen design best practice where material will be mainly read from screen,. (see section 3)

• provide ‘property sheets’ within the project. For every World Wide Web item there should be an owner who takes responsibility for updating and managing the document

• ensure all material is dated

• give all material meaningful and recognisable titles

• if documents are to be printed, include the appropriate Postscript files

• as far as possible avoid providing documents which are too big/too slow to download easily. In these cases ensure it can be used in small chunks

How course material is designed and produced is a major issue, but how it is managed will be of equal importance in projects making substantial scale use of the World Wide Web. Recognising and resourcing this needs to be a task within project management and will need time and budget allocated.

If you aim to develop a well used set of Web resources, you will need to ensure that users view the service and material as valuable and accessible. When planning how you will manage your WWW activities consider:

• deciding who has ownership:

– author

– provider

– organisation

– learners

– other

• ensuring there is collective responsibility for the WWW resources and it does not become solely centred on one person who creates all resources

• ensure there is clear overall responsibility for managing the Web site

• providing opportunities for recording feedback and comments from users

• offering alternatives - World Wide Web is more heavily used in some andit does not become solely centred on one person who creates all resources

• providing a route for queries from users

• ensuring there is an agreed procedure for:

– monitoring

– updating

– fault reporting

– responding to users

• ensuring backups are taken regularly

• agreeing and using a procedure for deleting and notifying deleted material. Explain why, e.g. replaced by new material.

The unit introduced a number of the most important issues for organisation's to consider when using multimedia. It has avoided deliberately covering the technical standards and specifications for multimedia as these are subject to constant change and depend largely on an organisation's IT strategy and budget.

Initial decisions need to cover the role and rationale for producing multimedia in-house. Establishing a clear view of the organisation's use of multimedia is an important pre-requisite which will inform many of your decisions on approach and resources.

The second half of the unit focused on guidelines for multimedia materials. They provide the basis for developing an organisation house style and approach for multimedia, enabling consistency over a number of years and if necessary, across changing systems and platforms.