Multimedia or Human Factors

[MSTSACX -at- GSUVM1 -dot- BITNET]

 Ann Duin tried to start a thread about multimedia--what can we do with it.
 I'd like to address this issue.

 I think the first thing we can do with it is figure out what it is, because
 no one really knows.  Within the computer community, it refers to a PC
 that's capable of displaying data and full motion video, and playing sound.
 Within the business community, multimedia refers to 500 channel cable
 systems that are capable of carrying telephone conversations (often with
 pictures), interactive television, and more opportunities to purchase
 cubic zirconium than we can imagine. I prefer the business definition,
 because it seems more like the multimedia that the average Joe and Jill are
 likely to encounter.  But in our work, the computer definition is more
 appropriate.

 That's not because we're writing about computers, but computers will
 increasingly become the medium of delivery of workplace and product info.

 Actual multimedia has little to do with things like online help.  Software
 is not inherently a visual topic and doesn't really need all the extra
 bells and whistles that multimedia provides.

 Multimedia is more likely to be useful in more traditional areas of
 technical communication:  parts catalogs, maintenance documentation, reference
 materials and policies and procedures.

 The multimedia that will be incorporated in these types of documents
 are not likely to be the full-motion video type; instead, they'll be
 lower-tech.  Parts catalogs will have digitized photos of items, maybe
 sound clips from cassettes and other audiovisual products.  Maintenance
 documentation might include digitized photos, some animation (to show
 processes), and sound (so people don't have to read while performing
 an operation).  Reference materials might include photos, interviews
 (if appropriate), and clips of related EXISTING videos (if rights are
 available).  I emphasize existing because the cost of producing new
 video clips will be prohibitive.  We might even see the rise of video
 clip libraries as we've seen the growth of clip art.  Policies and
 procedures are the last area.  These will be tied in with databases
 (because most information in procedures applies to content in a
 database, such as employees) (databases aren't traditionally thought
 of as multimedia), photos (for example, your employee record might
 include a digitized photo), and images from an image database (remember
 the commendation you received?  a photo of it is in your records, too).

 The big question is:  will multimedia be appropriate?  If it provides
 an appropriate, more cost-effective and more timely solution, the
 answer is yes.  I do think some of these answers come from human
 factors, but more of these answers come from a good business analysis
 and a good understanding of the business problem that the information is
 intended to solve.  The study of performance technology (I hate the term
 and take no responsibility for it) offers far more insight into the
 answer to the question than human factors.  Human factors is concerned
 about whether the solution is easily used by people.  Performance
 technology is concerned about an earlier issue:  how do we state the
 problem in the first place and what principles guide selection of a
 solution?

 "
 Saul Carliner              Ph.D. Student
 Instructional Technology   Geo. State Univ.
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