INP Week1 SDL

Design & Develop a project plan for an interactive multimedia application

Step 1: Done

Step 2: What makes an application interactive?

An application is interactive when it allows users to "do something" and the application responds to the "do something" by doing it. Some form of interactivity includes - clicking, dragging and hovering. Another form of interaction is informing the users about the application's status, for eg. "You are now logged in". In order to make the application's interactivity useful for the users, the application must be designed in such a way that it is user-centered and to think from users' perspective at all times.

Step 3: Write your findings on the blog. - Interactivity and Revisits to Websites: A Theoretical Framework (http://ritim.cba.uri.edu/wp2001/wpdone3/Interactivity.pdf)

"Interactivity is a key component of the New Media"

Here are the six components of interactivity:

1. User Control: Users are able to control/choose/select options that they want.
2. Responsiveness: Users are able to have communication with the system.
3. Real-time Interaction: Users are able to communicate instantly, at fast speed.
4. Connectedness: Users are able to relate to and hence build a sense of community.
5. Personalisation/Customisation: Users are able to meet their individual needs.
6. Playfulness: Users are able to find entertainment and humour.

"Rafaeli (1988) had indicated that interactivity could lead to increased satisfaction but the process may not be a direct one."

From the following applications:
• Information Presentation
• Electronic Publishing
• Advertising
• Commerce & Transaction
• Education & Training
• Entertainment

How can interactivity be exploited in the chosen application?
Put in another words, how can interactivity enhance the user experience for the chosen application? (Do research on interactivity other than using mouse and keyboard)

The chosen application is - Advertising.

An example of a QR code found on a YouTube website.

The newest type of advertising must be the QR codes, which appears almost everywhere. It interacts with users by having the users to scan the code to know more about the advertisement, this allows users to choose the advertisements that they want to find out more on. This fulfills the "User Control" and also the "Real time interactions" component. There are applications on smartphones that supports the QR code scanner function.

Here's an example of how users interact with QR codes.

Nokia Interactive Advertising

Another form of interactive advertising is through a video game adventure.

Hell's Pizza advertising competition

Interactivity can enhance the user experience by having a game adventure to play which also acts as an advertising strategy, because this will attract a lot of users. By looking at the amount of views this YouTube video game has, it was definitely a success. It is no longer about a one-sided video, but a two-sided video (adventure) that users are able to interact with. "Playfulness" and "User Control" component has been satisfied through the video adventure.

Lastly, interactive advertisements on smartphones to attract even more audience because of its convenience and mobility.

This enhances users' experience by making everything so easy to use and efficient to find out more about the advertisements. All of the components of interactivity has been taken care of. It is indeed an interesting idea for an advertisement in comparison to just a poster ad. Users can even find out where are the nearby stores from just a tap away. Interactivity has never been this amazing.

Step 4: List out the factors on the blog.

A Plan Is Worth A Thousand Aspirin
Now, think of your interactive game. What factors should you consider to enhance the interactivity of your game?

• Audio: It is best to match the audio with the game, this adds to the mood of the user which allows the user to feel that he/she is in the game itself.

• Controls: Some of the games available allows the user to input their own controls with certain buttons for which they feel comfortable with.

• Visuals: Pictures, graphics and colour scheme should be appropriate to the game itself. For eg. Scary games should have dark colours and happy games should have bright and cheerful colours.

• Buttons: The buttons used in the game should be obvious that it is a button and not just a graphic, this is to allow the user to know that the button can be clicked on.