The term multimedia is used to denote the property of handling a variety of representation media in an integrated manner. The phrase 'representation media' is used because it is believed the most fundamental aspect of multimedia systems is the support for different representation types. It is necessary for a multimedia system to support a variety of representation media types. It is also important that the various sources of media types are integrated into a single system framework.

Multimedia is more than multiple media. Multimedia adds interactivity to the combination of text, graphics, images, audio and video. Creating your own media is more interactive than is using existing content, and collaborating with others in the creation of media is still more interactive.

Multimedia systems use a number of different media to communicate supplementary, additional or redundant information. Often this may take the form of using multiple sensory channels, but it may also take the form of different types of vis

Multimedia is all things to all people. The name can convey a highly specific meaning or less then nothing, depending on your audience. In fact, multimedia is a singular mix of disparate technologies with overlapping application in pursuit of a market and an identity. We can describe it as the seamless integration of data, text, images and sound within a single digital information environment.

It is helpful to view multimedia applications as a convergence of today's content and titles, such as movies and books of today's computer application programs, such as word processors and of today's network services. As an example a multimedia book should have the following features. Besides text, the book has other media that the author created, including not only text, graphics and images but also audio and video to make the book's content clearer or more enjoyable. Programs should be built-in to help a user navigate through the author's media. Multimedia's driving technologies, mainly digital electronics and fiberoptic communications are making more and more functions sufficiently economical for consumers to use.

Multimedia interface designers have typically used a navigation/map metaphor, a menu/hierarchy metaphor or a journal (sequence) metaphor. An example of the first strategy is the Virtual Museum, produced by Apple Computer. Here the user accesses the multimedia information by navigating through the virtual museum, moving from room to room by selecting directions of movement. Examples of the second strategy include on-line encyclopaedias and electronic books where a table of contents is used to organise the material.

For designers of multimedia the main design issues are how to integrate the media and which media to use for presenting different kinds of information.

The computer elements of an IMM system have the capacity to:

The basic elements of human interface design are now well established. The user, not the computer should initiate all actions. The user accesses and manipulates the various elements of the product by clicking on buttons, icons or metaphors with a mouse or other pointing device. Interface design should be consistent where appropriate and differentiated where needed so the user can rely on recognition rather than recall. The user should always be given immediate auditory or visual feedback. User activities should be broken into small steps where tasks are complex. The interface design should be aesthetically pleasing, appropriate to the content and suited to the learner's culture and prior knowledge.

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Approximate Word count = 2133
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)