Websites PNG32

Narnia Site

The Narnia Website uses several PNG32 images; the PNG32 images are identifiable by their transparent backgrounds.
These include the characters and objects i.e. menus.
When the site loads these images come onto the screen over the background separately indicating multiple PNG32 files.
The background could also have been done using PNG format however it would more likely be PNG24.

Seek the Signs .com and .co.uk

The Seeker site also uses PNG32 files this is more visible in the .co.uk version.
PNG32 files on the Seeker site include the celtic symbol on the menu of both the .com and .co.uk site as well as the menu/description to the right of the screen on the .co.uk site.
Both sites include visual feedback.
On the Seeker site this is used in combination with the PNG32 celtic menu at the bottom which responds by expanding on the over state.
This could have been created by creating a button and then altering the over state of the object to a movie clip.
Other visual feedback includes the highlighting of objects in the over state this could have been done in a similar way to the celtic menu but altering the background and text colours.
There are also multiple seperate movie files.

Flash Video Coding

http://dansinteractive.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

Folder System

Principles of Interactive Media

Visual Treatment

Accessibility

Some disabilities can make it harder for a person to access interactive media these include vision impairments, hearing impairments and dyslexia.
This is because the person needs to read words, see pictures or icons, and hear sound in order to use Interactive Media.
This means that interactive media should be designed so that it is accessible as much as possible, to people with vision impairment, hearing impairment and dyslexia.
As Designer it is important to take into consideration the following points;

• Vision impaired users in general need bigger text in a plain font, with enough contrast between the colour of the text and the colour of the background.
  This site would be considered not accessible to a person with vision impairment, (http://pixelcentric.net/interface.php)
• Hearing impaired people may not be able to understand sounds or speech properly.
  To make Interactive Media accessible to hearing impaired users the text should be given alongside any important audio information. This could mean displaying the text that is being spoken along with the audio track, or by including subtitles when video is being used.
• Dyslexic people are affected by many of the same things that affect vision impaired users. This means taking similar steps as you would have to take with vision impaired users e.g. bigger text in a plain font, with enough contrast between the colour of the text and the colour of the background.

The issue of accessibility can also be solved by having multiple versions of the same site an example of this is the BBC News site which has a text only version.
(BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/text%20text%20only.stm)
The site is a good example of accessibility because it caters to the needs of people with vision impairments and dyslexia by having larger text which contrasts against the background of the site.

Colour Theory

Colour theory has numerous points these include;

• The colour wheel which is divided into temperatures cool, cold, warm and hot, this means that colours e.g. blue can be used to cool down a warm image or a warm colour e.g. red can be used to warm a cold image.
• The colour wheel consists of primary colours red, blue, yellow, secondary colours orange purple and green created by mixing primary colours and finally tertiary colours which are colours created by mixing tertiary colours.
• Complimentary colours which are colours that are opposite on the colour wheel. Contrasting colours e.g. black and white.
• Colours in common which are the colours that are next to complimentary colours green and purple are colours in common with blue.
• Each colour consists of a hue (the pure colour), a tint which is a lighter shade of the hue created by adding white to the hue, and a shade which is a darker shade of the hue created by adding black to the hue.
• Colour theory also includes saturation which can be used to remove the colours of an image to create a grey scale image.

Use of Images and Composition

Use of images and composition covers a number of points over the coming section I will attempt to explain some of these and give relevant examples;

• The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds can be linked with layout and involves dividing the page into thirds vertically and horizontally so that the picture is divided into nine separate sections.
The Rule identifies four important areas that a designer should consider placing images on these points are at the intersecting lines.
This is because people are usually drawn to these areas rather than to the centre of the page.
The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that the image, design or photo has the appearance of being more balanced.

• Depth of Field

The Depth of Field is defined as the as the portion of a image, screen or subject that is appears sharp in the image, screen or subject.
So in conclusion it is generally to with focus on a subject.
An example of a shallow Depth of Field can be seen in figure (a) below.

(a)

(Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DOF-ShallowDepthofField.jpg)

Balance

Unless a Publication is in colour, white, black and grey are the only tones on the page. Blank areas are considered as white space, images/graphics as black space and text as grey space.
The aim of a designer is to balance these tones on each page.
For example to much white space can make it difficult for readers to follow the flow of a site, document, etc.
Too many images and graphics give the site or document the appearance of being dark and busy, and too much text can be discouraging even for people interested in a subject.
Each of the tones is equally important they are only important in relation to each other. White space is only useful if contrasted with black and grey space, the same applies for black space and grey space.

Layout and Interface Design

Usability

Usability describes the overall user experience with interactive media.
A description of usability is:
"Usability is a term used to denote the ease with which people can employ a particular tool or other human-made object (in this case, your website) in order to achieve a particular goal." (http://styleguide.caltech.edu/navigation)
Usability is connected with design, accessibility, language, layout, navigation etc.
Bad decisions by a designer in any of those areas can lead to poor usability for certain user groups.

Language and Terminology

Terminology refers to the language used to describe a certain thing or an action.
For example most people would be unfamiliar with the term “expunge”, though it is used on some web based email programs, more common terms would be delete or erase.
Taking this into consideration it is important to use language and terminology that the user group will be comfortable using.
“You can do this by observing conventions or standards with which the users may already be familiar.” (http://iteachinteractive.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-01-08T08%3A42%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7)

Effective Use of Layout

Layout is concerned with the organisation of information on the screen; it includes position of the title or heading, location of navigation options and how images are used in combination with text.
However layout is not only concerned with the organisation of information on the screen but how it is presented.
It is important as a designer to consider the layout so that users become familiar with how a website works, and are not required to re-learn the layout on every page.
An example would be setting all the navigation options on one side of the page.

Use of Navigation

Navigation is the system implemented to allow users to “move around” within interactive media

Navigation can be organized into primary, secondary and tertiary.

A good explanation of this is:

"Primary navigation is defined as the navigation which appears on every page of the site. Primary navigation divides all your content up in to sections, all of which are navigable from anywhere in the site."Secondary navigation occurs when primary sections of the site have enough content to warrant navigation within that section. The same applies to tertiary navigation"(http://styleguide.caltech.edu/navigation)

Legal and Ethical Constraints

Legal and Ethical Constraints
Specifically in relation to Interactive Media.

Legal Constraints –

The Computer Misuse Act
The Computer Misuse Act covers three main areas,
Unauthorised access to computer material.
Unauthorised access to a computer system with intent to commit or facilitate a crime.
Unauthorised modification of computer material.
( http://www.lancs.ac.uk/iss/rules/cmisuse.htm )
Example of Computer Misuse Act realting to Interactive Media:
A contract programmer allegedly deleted software development files to prolong his contract. Programs ran automatically in the background to delete the software development team’s work. (Computer Misuse Act 1990 cases, http://www.computerevidence.co.uk/Cases/CMA.htm )

The Data Protection Act
The Data Protection Act works in two ways. The first is that anyone who processes personal information must comply with eight principles, which make sure that personal information is,
Fairly and lawfully processed.
Processed for limited purposes.
Adequate, relevant and not excessive.
Accurate and up to date.
Not kept for longer than necessary.
Processed in line with your rights.
Secure.
Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection.
The second area provides individuals with important right, including the right to find out what information is held on computer and most paper records.
Relation to Interactive Media:
For instance if you were comissioned to create a system for a user who would be required to handle personal data about who uses the system you as either a designer or programmer would have to ensure that personal data about the users would not be accessible by the public.
Examples of sites include Amazon and Play.
Example of the Data Protection Act:
Under the fourth principle of the Data Protection Act, information is required to be accurate and up to date. If the company that employs you believes that information concerning you is not factually accurate (this is information that can be proven to be inaccurate and not the opinion of a person or organisation) then your employer must contact you and find out that whether this is the case if it is then your employer must update the information.

Intellectual Property
"Intellectual Property (IP) is created when an idea takes some tangible form. IP can mean a brand, invention, design or other kind of creation and it can be legally owned." (Intellectual Property Office, http://www.ipo.gov.uk/ )

Copyright
Copyright is an automatic right which applies once something has been recorded in a tangible form e.g. a written document or a save file on a computer.
"Copyright protects written, theatrical, musical and artistic works as well as film, book layouts, sound recordings, and broadcasts." (Intellectual Property Office, http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy.htm)
Copyright lasts exactly 70 years after the death of the person to whom the copyright belonged, however in the case of performers it lasts only 50 years.
Trademarks
Trademarks are symbols that are used to distinguish goods and services including logos, brand names. ™ ®
Trademarks are often used as a marketing tool so that customers can recognise a product or service.
"Trade marks are not registrable if they:
describe your goods or services or any characteristics of them, for example, marks which show the quality, quantity, purpose, value or geographical origin of your goods or services;
have become customary in your line of trade;
are not distinctive;
are three dimensional shapes, if the shape is typical of the goods you are interested in (or part of them), has a function or adds value to the goods;
are specially protected emblems;
are offensive;
are against the law, for example, promoting illegal drugs; or;
are deceptive. There should be nothing in the mark which would lead the public to think that your goods and services have a quality which they do not."
(Intellectual Property Office, http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/t-whatis.htm)
The Trade Mark below is an example of a registrable Trade Mark because it doesn't describe a good or service.
Patents
"Patents protect the methods and processes that make things work."(Intellectual Property Office, http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/patent.htm)
Designs
Designs protect the physicla appearance of a product or item.

Legal and Ethical Constraints -

Accessibility
Some disabilities can make it harder for a person to access interactive media these include vision impairments, hearing impairments and dyslexia.
In terms of Interactive Media accessibility relates to a user group that cannot use interactive media properly. This is because the person needs to read words, see pictures or icons, and hear sound in order to use Interactive Media.
This means that interactive media should be designed so that it is accessible as much as possible, to people with vision impairment, hearing impairment and dyslexia.

Vision impaired users in general need bigger text in a plain font, with enough contrast between the colour of the text and the colour of the background.
This site would be considered aas not accessible to a person with vision impairment,
(http://pixelcentric.net/interface.php)

Hearing impaired people may not be able to understand sounds or speech properly. To make Interactive Media accessible to hearing impaired users the text should be given alongside any important audio information. This could mean displaying the text that is being spoken along with the audio track, or by including subtitles when video is being used.

Dyslexic people are affected by many of the same things that affect vision impaired users. This means taking similar steps as you would have to take with vision impaired users e.g. bigger text in a plain font, with enough contrast between the colour of the text and the colour of the background.

Obscene Publications Act

The difinition of criminal obscenity is something which depraves or corrupts.