Digital Technology Unit 2 CCEA

prototype

a model of a system being developed. it may not be fully functional

two types of prototypes

Evolutionary and Throwaway

Evolutionary prototype

a prototype that is continually developed until a complete solution is available

Throwaway prototype

a prototype that does not become the final solution

Advantages of prototyping

- Increased end user involvement, so the product is more likely to meet the end user's needs

- Problems are detected early, reducing the cost of correction

Disadvantages of prototyping

- End user involvement may lead to constantly changing requirements

- Not suited to all types of applications

end user

the person/people who will use the system when it is completed. They provide feedback when a prototype is being developed.

user requirements document

a document that details what the end user expects the system to do

target audience

The demographic group that an application is being designed for. They determine how the user interface will be designed

user interface

any part of the system that the user can interact with. this includes menus, buttons and data capture forms

Navigation structure diagram

a diagram that illustrates the various pathways that end users can take through a multimedia package

Storyboard

a diagram which shows the content and layout of individual pages in a multimedia application. They include details of any image sources, text and other multimedia elements.

Third party implementation

The creation of a product by someone other than the original designer

Scripted elements

extracts of code, often included as part of an HTML document, that, when activated, can allow the user to interact with the application.

Interactive elements

Elements in a package that prompt interaction from the end user

movie timeline

a diagram that shows the content of a movie, frame by frame. They include the details of any special effects or transitions applied between scenes and any sound playing throughout

what does a good storyboard contain?

details of any scripted or interactive elements. This can be in a form of a description

data dictionary

A file containing details relating to the structure of data held in a database. It includes details such as table names, attributes, validation methods and characteristics of each attribute

attribute

a piece of data that describes an entity

wireframe diagram

A tool used to show the layout of input and output screens in a digital application

form and report wireframe diagrams

detail the screen layout, the position of each element, the location of any specialised interface elements

Entity relationship diagram

a diagram that illustrates how various entities are linked together

relationship types

one-to-one (adult 1 is married to adult 2)

one-to-many (one parent can have many children)

many-to-many (a grandparent can have more than one grandchild and each grandchild can have more than one grandparent)

a good user requirements document includes requirements which...

can be easily measured or tested

can be easily met within the given budget and/or technology available

are necessary for effective operation of the system

are easily understood by the end user/customer

conventions in a navigation structure diagram

use of arrows or lines to show links between pages

page names are normally presented inside a rectangular shape

external links can be shown

human computer interface

The use of digital technology to support communication between end users and computers

wimp

window: an area on the desktop showing actions being performed by the user

icon: a small picture representing a shortcut to a task or application

menu: a method of grouping related tasks

pointer: an on-screen icon that moves in response to a mouse or similar input device

graphical user interface

a user interface that provides windows, menus, icons and pointers so that the user can operate it

advantages of graphical user interface

- easy to use, as icons use familiar images

- users do not need technical elements of a computer to use it

- shortcuts can be created by more experienced users

disadvantages of graphical user interface

- additional processing power, storage and RAM are often required

- powerful graphic cards are required

- can be restrictive to expert users

natural language interface

interacting with digital technology using everyday language

advantages of natural language interface

- no need to learn specialised commands

- supports hands free interactions (spoken instructions)

disadvantages of natural language interface

- takes time to train to recognise a user's voice

- app may not respond to all voices

- command bank may be limited

- increase RAM ROM and processing power may be needed

motion tracking interface

Interface that converts movement into digital signals

advantages of motion tracking interface

- make interactions more realistic

- allows inexperienced users to interact with the application

disadvantages of motion tracking interfaces

- still a new technology so not widely available

- can be expensive

touchscreen

A display that also serves as an input device that can be used with a special pen device or fingers.

advantages of touch screen

- easy to use

- on-screen keyboards improve portability

- easy to use (intuitive)

disadvantages of touch screen

- can be easily damaged

- screens can be small, making interactions with small icons and keys difficult

- technology is still relatively expensive

- can be difficult for visually impaired users

accessibility

the ability to personalise digital applications to support their use

different accessibility settings

- on-screen magnifiers

- text narrators

- being able to resize font size

- the ability to adjust the sensitivity of a touch pad

W3C

- World Wide Web Consortium

- a standards organisation that focuses on ensuring accessibility of digital applications

platform

the hardware of software that supports the operation of an application

cross-platform applications

an application designed to operate on more than one platform

how do developers ensure cross-platform applications?

- they consider the target audience, who may not use the same technology as others

- they make platform specific versions of an application

- the app must be fully tested

plugin

- software that adds features to an application once installed

- the developer should provide the user with a link to the download site if the application requires a plugin

pdf

- portable document format

- a file format that supports presentation of text, graphics and hyperlinks on a range of platforms

- accessible on any platform so should be used where possible

optimisation

- When files are compressed to use less storage

- optimised file formats can be used to support the smooth loading of pages or screens on a digital application

- not all file formats are supported on every platform

- plugins may be required to support the integration of some optimised file types

- expecting users to download a large amount of plugins isn't advisable

optimised

- Code that uses the minimum of resources during operation and that is efficient in terms of speed of operation

- an optimised file is one that has been compressed

compression

the removal of unnecessary data to reduce file size

optimised video file formats

- Flash video (.flv)

- AVI (.avi)

- Quicktime (.mov)

- MP4 (.mp4)

optimised image file formats

- Jpeg (.jpg)

- GIF (.gif)

- TIFF (.tif)

- PNG (.png)

optimised sound file formats

- MP3 (.mp3)

- WAV (.wav) is support by most browsers although it is not compressed

multimedia features

- the use of text and images to enhance the application content

- stored video and/or sound files

- live sound and/or video

interactive features

- virtual tours or 3D interactive displays

- live interactive video chats

- hyperlinks to other pages or websites

- twitter feeds and memes

- playing multimedia elements

- thumbnail and/or roll over images

- form fillings and option selection

push technology

allows information to be delivered to recipient

multimedia and interactivity in e-commerce

- product reviews posted by customers

- watch lists/product tracking

- selling or product ratings

- secure online payment methods

- live bidding and alert systems

- push technology to send customer alerts

- sharing product information on other media applications

- help systems and dispute resolution systems

- image display tools

- shopping carts

advantages of multimedia and interactive elements in e-commerce

- customers are able to see others' views of the product/seller

- stock levels can be checked before ordering

- orders can be tracked online

- key words can be used to search quickly for desired items

- image display tools allow users to clearly see the item they are purchasing

- third-party organisations who provide secure payment methods help users with payment disputes (arguments or disagreements)

- alerts can be sent to customers via pop-ups or emails

- product information can be shared with others via email links and social media posts

- shopping carts allow users to save items and complete their purchases later

disadvantages of multimedia and interactive elements in e-commerce

- review postings are often subjective and limited in word length

- not all sellers provide tracking data

- key word searches are reliant on the seller using the same key words to describe the item

- not all users have access to electronic payment methods

- constant alerts can be annoying

- images may not always show clearly on all devices

- if items are reserved in shopping carts they may be unavailable to other customers

social media

the use of digital technology to support the creation and sharing of multimedia content on an online platform

virtual communities

a group of individuals who communicate in an online forum

chat clients

an application that supports interactive real-time chat between two participants

call-to-action button

a clickable link on a social media page that prompts the user to take some form of action

web space

an area of a host's server made available to an end user for the storage of their content

interactive and multimedia features available in social media applications

- user-generated content

- live streaming and chat clients

- call-to-action buttons

- personalised pages and content sharing

- free web space

- user profiles

advantages of interactive and multimedia features available in social media applications

- user-generated content creates a feeling of connectivity

- live streaming is a new and exciting way to share ideas

- end users can control who has access to their profile data and posts and who they accept as followers

- users have access to the wider global community

- location searches can be used to improve personal connectivity

- web space is free

- chats, messages and other posts can be read at the user's leisure

- a wider audience is available for promotion of events/products

disadvantages of interactive and multimedia features available in social media applications

- can be a form for abuse

- can be intrusive and distracting if not properly managed

- extensive access may be expensive as they tend to be media rich and require excessive data downloads

- caution should be exercised when revealing personal details

- social media sites retain the rights to posted content

- can lead to isolation

- not all members of the target audience may have access to social media

- location posting can compromise the safety of the user

- some applications require additional plugins

game settings

an area of a gaming application where the user can adjust game elements

feedback

situation where input is affected by output from a digital application

role-play game

a gaming environment where the end user plays the game in the persona of a character from the game; all interactions with the game are in that persona

multimedia and interactivity in gaming

- various forms of audio and visual feedback and input

- 3D interaction with gaming applications through the use of sensors and virtual reality interactions

- customising settings and characters to help personalise gaming experience

- adjusting the display view to support game play from various angles in the scenario

advantages of interactivity in gaming

- increased interactivity can enhance the gaming experience

- provision (providing) of immediate feedback encourages alertness and improves attention to game play

- ability to adjust setting and characters helps personalise the game

- high-quality multimedia enhances the gaming experience

- use of specialised peripherals can make the game more realistic

disadvantages of interactivity in gaming

- incorporating high-quality multimedia elements increases storage demands

- in online gaming applications the user is dependent upon a reliable internet connection

- code is complex and programs tend to be long, leading to increased costs

- demands on processing elements and hardware devices increase

- specialised input devices are often needed for interactions

advantages of multimedia and interactivity in generic applications

- interactive media engages the user and helps with information retention

- communication between users on some devices and applications can be supported (example: online booking applications offer users the opportunity to communicate with a support agent via a messaging tool)

- push technology allows application managers to present their message to users at any time and from any location

- content on multimedia applications can be updated easily and made available to all users quickly

- interfaces tend to be intuitive and therefore appeal to a wider audience

disadvantages of multimedia and interactivity in generic applications

- specialised hardware and software is often needed to access interactive multimedia applications

- users/members of the target audience may not access all of the information being presented to them

- some users may find the messages presented by push technology to be intrusive

- some applications require a high level of maintenance on the part of the development team

- technical experience may be necessary to support the creation and maintenance of the interactive multimedia application

- users may find the cost of the specialised hardware required to be prohibitive

- complex code is required to support the development of the application

- multimedia applications demand increased processing power, memory and storage

hypertext

text that can provide links to related content in a multimedia application

hypermedia

the use of media including text, graphics video elements of an application to provide links to related content in a multimedia application

multimedia authoring

- refers to the development of any application that uses a range of media types to present information

- media types incorporated into the application may include sound, video, animation, graphics, text

- it makes use of hypertext and hypermedia and scripted elements to support non-linear user progression through the application

- multimedia packages can be developed using specialised authoring applications or using code such as HTML

HTML

- Hypertext markup language

- the language used to define the structure of webpages.

- it is often combined with CSS and JavaScript to create hypermedia applications present to users via browser software for the world wide web

multimedia authoring applications

- contain predefined elements to support the development of packages

- multimedia authoring software can provide users with a WYSIWYG environment to support visual development of the application using drag and drop tools

- it does not require the end user to have any underlying knowledge of a programming language when developing an application

- it automatically generates the underlying code

features provided by multimedia authoring applications

- template provision, helps ensure consistency of presentation across all pages in the application

- content management, supports organisation and location of content during development stages

- form tools, hyperlinks, hotspots and wizards

advantages of using a web authoring application

- very little technical or programming knowledge is required

- has an intuitive interface

- links can automatically update when content is moved around

disadvantages of using a web authoring application

- limited functionality, some coding may be needed if complex interactions are required

- templates can restrict development and lead to unoriginal developments

tags

abbreviations used in HTML to describe the main elements of a web page

metadata

- data which describes other data

- in an HTML document, metadata is defined inside the tags

using HTML to create a website

- allows greater opportunity to 'tweak' page layout

- HTML uses tags to describe page content

Fallback text

an error message in the event that file cannot be played by the browser

static web page

pages that are presented to the user in the form that they were created; they tend to end with the extension .htm or .html

advantages of using HTML to create a multimedia solution

- Most developers are familiar with HTML

- It is supported by all browsers

- It is free and no additional software is needed

disadvantages of using HTML to create a multimedia solution

- updating links can be difficult if content is not managed effectively

- can only create static pages. if a dynamic page is required then addition script (e.g Java) is needed

- Many lines of script are needed for even the most basic of pages

dynamic web page

pages where the presentation can be changed by a user's interactions with the application. they tend to end with the extensions .php .asp or .jsp

content management

- developers who are using a coding approach are required to manually update pathways to links if content is relocated within the folder structure of the application. Well-organised folders can help with this process

CSS

- Cascading style sheets

- a language used to describe the style of an HTML document. It describes how specified elements will be displayed such as colour, font, text size, headings and paragraphs within a web page

Javascript

- often used to improve the interactivity of multimedia applications

- It can be incorporated into an HTML document in a number of ways:

- Sequencing

- Selection

-Repitition

sequencing

where lines of code are designed to run one after another from the beginning to the end

selection

where only some lines of code need to be run and only if a certain condition is met

repitition

where select lines of code can be executed over and over again, either a set number of times or until a condition is met

event driven programming

where events such as the user's interaction with an application element can determine how the application is presented to the end user

relational databases

- a database that carries data in the form of more than one table

- tables representing entities can be linked

- linking tables helps reduce data redundancy and increases data integrity

flat file database

- a database that consists of just one table