This document provides an introduction to authoring systems and multimedia authoring. It defines an authoring system as a program with pre-programmed elements for developing interactive multimedia software. It also defines multimedia as the combined use of multiple media like text, graphics, audio, video and animation in a single application. The document discusses the differences between authoring and programming and lists different types of products that can be developed with authoring systems. It also describes different paradigms in authoring like card-based, icon-based and time-based systems. Common types of interactivity like linear, branching and hypermedia are also outlined along with the components of multimedia like text, graphics, sound, video, animation and interactivity. Finally

1. INTRODUCTION
TOAUTHORING
SYSTEM

2. What is
authoring
system?
 A program which has pre-programmed
elements for the development of
interactive multimedia software titles.
 A program that helps to write hypertext
or multimedia applications.

3. What is
multimedia?
 Multi = "many"
 Media = plural of "medium"
 Medium = a channel of communication
 "a means of communicating information
using multiple channels“
 The combined use of several media --
such as text, graphics, audio, video, and
animation -- in a single application for
educational or entertainment purposes.

4. Multimedia
Authoring vs
Multimedia
Programming
 Authoring involves the assembly and
bringing together of Multimedia with
possibly high level graphical interface
design and some high level scripting.
 Programming involves low level
assembly and construction and control
of Multimedia and involves real
languages like C and Java.
 For educational multimedia, it is also
important to create an effective
instructional environment.

5. Multimedia
Authoring vs
Multimedia
Programming
 The authoring process can be used to develop many
different types of products, including:
 Educational applications
 Computer-based training
 Reference systems
 Simulations
 Virtual environments
 Entertainment programs and games
 Interactive information kiosks
 Retail CD-ROMs
 Training systems

6. Paradigm in
Multimedia
Authoring
 The authoring paradigm, or authoring
metaphor, is the methodology by which
the authoring system accomplishes its
task.

7. Paradigm in
Multimedia
Authoring
 Four main perspectives in multimedia authoring
tools :
Tool (any software package that could authors
multimedia product)
Product (the result of combining all multimedia
components)
Developer (designers, programmers, and
multimedia authors)
End user (customer or viewer)

8. Paradigm in
Multimedia
Authoring
 Multimedia Authoring tool has two basic
features:
1. Ability to create and edit a product
2. Presentation scheme for delivering product

9. Paradigm in
Multimedia
Authoring
Card-Based
Time-Based
Icon-Based

10. Card-based
 In these authoring systems, elements are organised as
pages of a book or a stack of cards.
 The authoring system lets you link these pages or cards
into organised sequences.You can jump, on command,
to any page you wish to in a structured navigation
pattern.
 Card- and page-based systems allow you to play audio,
video and animations.
 Some examples of card- and page-based systems
include:
1. HyperCard (Macintosh)
2. SuperCard (Macintosh)
3.ToolBook (Windows)
4.Visual BASIC (Windows)

11. Card-based

12. Icon-based
 In these authoring systems, multimedia elements and
interaction cues or events are organised as objects in a
structural framework.
 Icon based, event driven tools simplify the organisation
of a project and typically display flow diagrams of
activities along branching paths.
 Some examples of icon-based systems include:
1. Authorware Professional (Windows)
2. IconAuthor (Windows)
 Icon-based, event-driven systems are suited to a wide
range of applications and offer a high level of support
when developing packages with complex navigation
structures.

13. Icon-based

14. Time-based
 Time Based Authoring Programs use a movie
metaphor.
 Like a movie on videotape, you start the
multimedia title and it plays until some action
causes it to pause or stop.
 These programs also allow for branching to
different parts of the movie, and any amount of
user control and interactivity may be
build in.
 Good for creating animations

15. Time-based

16. 3 common
types of
interactivity
Linear
Branching
Hypermedia

17. Linear
Presentation
 is one in which the author decides the
sequence and manner in which
information is presented.
 The user controls only the pace.

18. Linear
Presentation

19. Linear
Presentation
 The features of linear presentations are:
❑Slides are shown in a pre-determined
order.
❑Slides that jump out of this sequence
are not allowed.
❑Slides follow an ordered line from the
beginning to the end of the
presentation.

20. Linear
Presentation
 Advantages of linear presentations
 Predictable, every audience will see exactly the
same presentation
 Relatively easy for another person to do the
presentation should the author be unavailable as
the presentation always runs in the same order
 Simple to prepare handouts as slides are always in
the same order
 skippedTiming of the presentation is very
predictable

21. Linear
Presentation
 Disadvantages of linear presentations
 Not very interactive with the audience, they cannot
change the order of presentation
 Not flexible in terms of changing the time taken to
do the presentation, for instance a presentation
planned for 1 hour may now need to be done in half
an hour, this is not simple in a linear presentation
 It is apparent to the audience they are not seeing
the full presentation if slides need to be
 Can be boring as the audience may have to view
slides that happen to be irrelevant to them

22. Branching
 is one in which the user has some control over
the sequence of presentation by selecting from a
group of choices such as from a main menu.
 The author still maintains the control of deciding
what to include in the choices available at any
point in the program.

23. Branching

24. Hypermedia
 can be thought of as a web of interrelated
information in which the user is in almost
complete control of the pace and, to a
somewhat lesser extent, the sequence and
content of the presentation.
 Links provide for random access of information.

25. Multimedia
Components
+
Interactivity (control)

26. Text
 Text often shapes the content of a multimedia title.
 Technically speaking a text medium is easy to
handle and store.
 As a rule text passages should be brief and the font
should be easy to read on the computer screen.
 Common file formats for text data are .txt, .rtf, and
.doc.

27. Graphics
(images)
 Graphics shape the design of a multimedia title,
adding visual appeal and expressing concepts
that text alone cannot easily communicate.
 Graphics is a more complex medium than text.
 They are more difficult to create, and you have
to deal with a number of colors and screen
resolutions.
 In addition, graphics files tend to be quite large.
 A single color picture for the computer screen
can easily fill up several standard floppy disks.
 However, applications from the entertainment
side of the business have established high
quality graphics and photo realistic images as
basic elements of all multimedia applications.
 Common file formats for graphics are .bmp, .tif,
.gif, and .jpg.

28. Sound
(audio)
 Sound can refer to speech, natural or synthesized
sound effects, or music.
 can use spoken words to complement written text,
and music and sound effects to create a mood, add
emphasis or realism, or signal interactivity.
 With recorded (digitized) sound you have to deal
with sound quality and storage capacity.
 Music can mean "recorded songs", or the computer
can imitate instruments and produce synthesized
music.
 Common file formats for digitized sound are .wav,
.aif, .snd, and .mid.

29. Video
 Digitized video offers a level of authenticity similar
to television or movies - with some performance
limitations.
 With video you can show tasks and events that
words and graphics are inadequate to explain.
 Producing high quality video clips is a difficult and
time consuming job.
 The current PC performance for video playback is
limited by certain technical factors, so if you create
a multimedia application that includes video clips
you must have a clear idea of the performance of
the typical user's PC.
 Usually you must compromise between the video
screen size, video resolution, number of colors used
and length of the clip.
 Common digital video file formats are .mov, .avi,
and .mpg.

30. Animation
 Animation involves graphics that move in some
way with animation you can clarify things or create
special effects.
 Digitized video has replaced animation for certain
things, but in many cases animations are easier to
produce and "lighter" for the PC’s performance.
 Technically speaking, animation can mean either
external "video like" media files, or they can be
closely integrated (programmed) into the
application itself.
 Common animation file formats include .flc, .fli,
and .swf.
 Digital video and .gif file formats are also used for
animation content.

31. Interactivity
(control)
 Interactivity in the context of computer-based
multimedia learning is reciprocal activity between a
learner and a multimedia learning system
 One final component of multimedia is the amount
of control afforded to the user.
 At a minimum the user should be able to start and
stop the program. In more advanced programs
there may be a multitude of navigation options
available to take users through the program.

32. Multimedia
Authoring
Principle

33. Consistent
(konsistensi)
 Reka bentuk antara muka adalah seragam pada
setiap skrin program.
 Contohnya setiap antara muka menggunakan
perkataan atau arahan yang melakukan fungsi yang
sama.

34. Clarity
(kejelasan)
 Label pada ikon adalah jelas supaya bahan
multimedia dapat difahami dengan mudah.
 Menggunakan ikon yang releven dengan fungsinya
seperti ikon gambar printer untuk fungsi mencetak.
 ikon perlu dilabel dengan jelas supaya pengguna
dapat memahami fungsinya dengan mudah.

35. Context
(konteks)
 Setiap bahagian atau isi kandungan mesti berkait
rapat dengan tajuknya
 Contohnya, penggunaan grafik, audio atau video
mesti berkait rapat dengan isi kandungan yang
disediakan

36. Navigation
(navigasi)
 Navigasi adalah prinsip utama dalam multimedia
interaktif.
 Sebagai multimedia tidak liner, pengguna
sepatutnya boleh bergerak besar berdasarkan
menu yang disediakan

37. Search
(carian)
 Pengguna dapat mencari kata kunci atau glossary.
 Fungsi carian memudahkan pengguna mencari
maklumat yang diperlukan dengan mudah dan
cepat.

38. Personalisation
(personalisasi)
 Pengguna boleh melalui proses pembelajaran
secara individu.
 Pengguna boleh memilih paparan yang diingini.

39. Learnability
(kebolehbela
jaran)
 Program menyediakan maklumat sokongan atau
“help” untuk memudahkan pengguna memahami
program.

40. Flexibility
(fleksibiliti)
 Pengguna mempunyai hak untuk mendapatkan
semua kemudahan yang disediakan tanpa
halangan.
 Contohnya, pengguna dibenarkan untuk akses
semua isi kandungan pembelajaran, setiap
bahagian sesuatu program tersebut.