TOP TEN TIPS
Multimedia / CD-Rom Design
1 Control your budget
Multimedia is effectively just another form of software design, which is notorious for going over budget. Plan your budget thoroughly right from the start and keep a constant check on it throughout the project.
2 Research your Target Audience
Find out as much as possible about the end user of your product. Make sure you are confident they will have the resources required to make use of your multimedia product.
3 Be wary of using complicated effects
Multimedia can make use of a dazzling array of sound, video and animation effects. Be warned that some of the most impressive are very memory-hungry and can slow down your target's computer to the extent that there is a loss of functionality to your product.
4 The audience may not be listening
Don't assume that sound will always be available to the target. It can be switched off or simply not supported on the target computer. Make sure your product functions adequately without sound. Treat sound as an added bonus.
5 What about codecs?
Codec stands for Compression / Decompression. They are software based systems for compressing sound and video on CD Rom, allowing your data to pass from CD Rom to screen much faster. Make sure any codecs you use are likely to be available on your targets' computers
6 Don't substitute digital for conventional media.
Despite all the press and statistics, most people do not have ready access to computers yet. It could be a mistake to ignore a large percentage of your potential market by discarding traditional marketing and information media such as brochures and leaflets.
7 Test your product to destruction
The range of different setups of computer system on which your multimedia product can vary a staggering amount. Test your product on a very wide range of computer setups before releasing it into the marketplace. Give it to some of your select clients to test as well.
8 Include full contact and support information
Because the delivery of multimedia (and in particular CD Rom) is entirely out of your control, full contact and support information should be included with all multimedia products, enabling you to tackle any problems quickly should they arise.
9 Inform the target of their requirements
If the product requires specific hardware specifications in order to operate (such as a Pentium 175MHz processor and speakers), make these requirements clear on the outside of the packaging.
10 Virus Check your product
Many viruses lay dormant until a specific circumstance is triggered (such as a date). Extensively test your product for viruses. Passing on viruses to your clients can be very detrimental to your business.
Page URL: http://www.adscreative.com/topten/cdrom/
Date created: 4th October 1999
Date last modified: 22nd February 2000
Webmaster: Bruce Wilkie
Inquiries: studio@adscreative.com