Chapter 1. Determination of Interface Specifications

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Todd Haynes
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1 Chapter 1 Determination of Interface Specifications Introduction Selection of Specification Requirements Advantages of Our Choices Disadvantages of Flash Format Treatment of Disadvantages Design and Production Tools Summary Develop Your Own Multimedia Application! [17]

2 Chapter 1. Determination of Interface Specifications 1.1. Introduction The determination of the specifications for the user interface (UI) of the application is one of the most important issues to address before commencing with the design of the application. From the specifications of the interface, will depend to a large extent, many of the properties will have the application. These properties relate, on the one hand to the operation of the application, and on the other hand, in its appearance. Let us accept that the proposed application belongs to the multimedia applications of interactive video in Flash format and that its interface resembles the image in Figure 1. Figure 1. User Interface of a Multimedia Application of Interactive Video in Flash Format (schematic) [18] Develop Your Own Multimedia Application!

3 1.2. Selection of Specification Requirements We define the specifications of the interface based on the following two basic conditions, which should be satisfied: The video must be high-definition (HD) The video must be Flash (Flash format) With regard to these two conditions, we are primarily interested in the operational dimension of the results produced by these conditions, in their practical implementation in the design of the interface. We are not interested in the theory associated with the requirements but how these conditions affect the practical requirements of the user interface in the proposed application. The selection of the conditions (requirements) that must satisfy the specifications of an interface is dependent on the level of equipment, hardware and software, which is assumed for the majority of the users of our application. With the rapid development of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T) and the Internet and with continuous increasing processing capabilities and information display of computers, the two conditions tend to be the rule for the interface specification requirements. Develop Your Own Multimedia Application! [19]

1.2.1. High-Definition Video The term high-definition video or HD refers to a video standard, which has a higher resolution than standard resolution.

4 High-Definition Video The term high-definition video or HD refers to a video standard, which has a higher resolution than standard resolution. Without providing technical details and without analyzing other parameters of standard HD video, we accept that the dimensions of HD video are pixels (px). We accept that the condition of HD (High Definition) affects and defines the dimensions of the user interface. Regarding the specifications of the user interface, we chose to create an interface with dimensions of px, which satisfies the requirement of HD. We can visually estimate the aspect ratio (width height) of HD video by examining the light-blue rectangle in Figure 2. Figure 2. Proportion (aspect ratio) of dimensions (width height) of the high-definition video: px [20] Develop Your Own Multimedia Application!

5 Flash Format Video The term Flash format refers to video files that can be run using the software Adobe Flash Player or Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Shockwave Player. The (free) software Flash Player, is suitable for viewing multimedia and running applications. It runs files with the extension Shockwave Flash (SWF), which constitutes the conventional format of Flash files and serves a role on the Web. Flash Player can run as follows: on a computer, via the operating system, and as an independent playback application (Standalone Flash Player), on the Internet, via a browser, as a Web Browser application (Browser Plug-In), in supported mobile devices (supported mobile devices). The player of the Flash Player is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3. The case in which the application is produced to operate on a desktop (Desktop Application) Figure 4. The case in which the application is produced to operate on the Internet (Web App) Remark If our application is produced for the Internet as a web app, two buttons are added to (to select the Table of Contents and Full Screen) and the Info/About button is removed from the right lane of the Flash Player. Develop Your Own Multimedia Application! [21]

6 1.3. Advantages of our choices The definition of the interface specifications based on two basic conditions, which should be satisfied, implies several advantages of the interface. Analytically: a) First Condition: The video should be HD As mentioned in subsection 1.2.1, the dimensions of the HD video are px. A visual comparison of Figures 1 and 2 indicates the advantage that these dimensions provide to the designer of the application, such as providing adequate space for easily positioning the necessary elements of the user interface, such as: the monitor, which displays the video files that we want to project and constitutes the digital content of the application, the vertical table of contents of the application (left), in which the entries serve as links to various parts of the digital content of the application, the horizontal menu (strip) of the application modules (front), in which the labels serve as links to the beginning of each module of the application, the speech video of the presenter of the application, through which we implement the introductory remarks at the beginning of each module, the remaining elements, such as the (educational) slogan of the application, the button to interrupt the flow and transfer to another module, the identification logo, and the strip of Flash Player. [22] Develop Your Own Multimedia Application!

7 b) Second Condition: The video should be in Flash format As mentioned in subsection 1.2.2, the term Flash format relates to video files that can be run using the Flash Player. Consequently, we do not examine the method of construction of these files. The only property that interests us is the ability of these files to run via the Flash Player. The advantages of Flash format are as follows: offers exceptional (positive) properties in the distribution method of the digital multimedia content (video), in computers and/or on the Internet, Flash Player is a very common application it has been installed and is used by approximately 95% of the browsers on the Internet, as a video player, it works equally well on computers that are based on several different platforms: such as Windows (PC), Mac, and Linux, offers software designers sufficient control with respect to how the final product appears during the operation of applications, provides the ability to create (qualitative) interactive multimedia content with text, graphics, images, animation, and video, offers software designers the opportunity to control the appearance of the media player using custom controls. Develop Your Own Multimedia Application! [23]

8 1.4. Disadvantages of Flash Format In the previous section, the advantages of using the Flash Format to construct interactive multimedia applications were presented. However, the Flash format also has disadvantages; the most important disadvantages are presented as follows: Flash is a relatively complex format. Beginners discover that they need more time to learn this format compared with other applications. Flash requires the use of relatively expensive software. To achieve complete creative control, a few hundred dollars are needed to acquire the necessary software. The following question is proposed: Question How should we create interactive multimedia video applications, which are designed in Flash format to exploit the advantages of this format and are designed in such a manner that the influence of the disadvantages of Flash format will be significantly reduced? [24] Develop Your Own Multimedia Application!

9 1.5. Treatment of disadvantages To answer the previous question, let us consider exactly how the software in Flash Format is created (or which software applications generate the Flash Format of software). The software in Flash format is created using the following programs: 1. Flash authoring program, which is known as Macromedia Flash. It is a specialized and expensive program to create files in Flash format. 2. Third-party Flash authoring programs. Some cheaper alternatives are as follows: a. enable content creation (software files) in Flash format. b. enable the conversion of media files in Flash format. By selecting case 2b for the creation software in Flash format, we can answer the previous question and provide the correct answer. Conclusions We will construct our application by utilizing case 2b, i.e., using third-party programs to easily and intuitively create video files, which may realize the conversion of these files in Flash format in the last stage of production (of the video). This approach represents a significant reduction of the effect of the disadvantages of Flash format. Develop Your Own Multimedia Application! [25]

10 1.6. Design and Production Tools After the shaping of the prerequisites for the user interface of the application that we will construct, we proceed to the selection of the appropriate software tools, with which we will realize our goals. The selection of basic software tools is realized based on the following prerequisites: easy to find, relatively easy to learn, offered as free (or trial) software Tools for Design of the Interface of the Application For the interface, we will employ Microsoft Office PowerPoint Version 10 or later (a free 60-day trial is available) as a basic tool (creating pages/slides, editing graphics) Tools for Design, Development and Production of Application For the video, we will employ TechSmith Camtasia Studio Version: 7 or later (a free 30-day trial is available) as the basic tool (screen capture, multimedia processing, and final production). The use of other additional (free) applications (software tools), such as FastStone Image Viewer, Wonderwebware Screen Ruler and Big Free Clock (contactplus.com), will be referenced in the appropriate corresponding section of the book (refer to 3.1. Introduction: Free Tools of Visual Design). Recommendation Regarding the application design and production tools, the use of the respective free and open-source software is recommended as a credible alternative option. [26] Develop Your Own Multimedia Application!

11 1.7. Summary The first chapter presents (more) basic choices concerning the issues that should be examined prior to commencing with the application design: determination of the specification requirements of the user interface of the application. We defined the interface specifications based on two key conditions, which must be satisfied: The video must be HD The video must be in Flash format We noticed that our choices have several advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we ask the following questions: how do we utilize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages? We explored how the software in Flash format is created (i.e., via which software applications the software in Flash format is produced) and derived the answer to the question: we will construct our new application using a video editing program that is capable of producing software (video) in a suitable Flash format to run in Flash Player. We selected the appropriate software tools for creating our multimedia and interactive application. Develop Your Own Multimedia Application! [27]

Adobe Captivate Level 1

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