17 June 2008
It’s the purpose of this article to briefly cover not specific areas of multimedia, but rather some of the ways in which it has effected our communication.

Introduction

In recent years the web has truly exploded in every conceivable way, and it’s something which continues to have a significant effect on all involved, from designers and developers, to browsers and bloggers. The limitations on how we interact digitally with one another are constantly being relaxed, and as a result the term ‘multimedia’ is becoming less of an overused buzzword, and more of an underlying principle which summarises (quite aptly) how we all communicate. As each day passes it’s playing an ever increasing, ever varying role in web design, and it’s the purpose of this article to briefly cover not specific areas of multimedia, but rather some of the ways in which it has effected our communication.

Identification

When I was at School I struggled, quite genuinely to care about anything involving History. It wasn’t that I had no interest in it, nor that I didn’t appreciate its relevance, rather that I simply couldn’t identify with the material. A few years later I found myself learning (and indeed wanting to learn) more on the very same subjects from videogames and movies – essentially the same material represented in an entirely different context. Putting arguments as to whether or not such media is appropriate in an educational context to one side for a moment, what this fundamentally proved to me is that information, regardless of its purpose, accuracy or significance, is useless without user identification.

The prime purpose of the web has been to provide information in a clear, accessible manner, but multimedia has helped to take this in a direction a great many would’ve never even considered during the early stages of it’s move into the mainstream culture. Multimedia’s integration with the web has allowed information to break free of it’s originally clinical, sterile nature, and be communicated with a sense of soul with which users can truly identify. It’s now possible that you become immersed in it, that you absorb everything before you without even needing to try, and I personally struggle to comprehend a more successful way of communicating.

What this means to you, the Designer

Each era of technology brings a wide range of tools, materials and enhancements for designers to sink their teeth into, and the opportunities they provide often bring with them are often just as daunting as they are exciting. It’s important that Designer’s keep up to date with their skillset, services and products if they wish to stay afloat in an ever intensifying competitive industry, but it’s also equally important that they utilise these things responsibly. It’s very easy to get caught up in the hype, and start offering expertise in an area prematurely to actually having a thorough understanding of it’s nature and intricacies. Multimedia gives designers more scope to realise their creative potential, therefore offering greater depth and identity to the projects they complete for clients, but it’s vital that the multimedia services offered by designers be on a consistent standard throughout.

What this means to you, the Client

In terms of pure creative potential, multimedia gives clients the chance to have themselves, their business and/or organisation realised with a previously impossible balance of information, accessibility and personality. For a long time the limitations of technology have obstructed the growth of Client work, and while multimedia has done a lot to broaden the scope of creative potential it has (inevitably) made it an even more daunting prospect for it’s target market. The massive variety of media available, the competing pricing structure’s offered by designers and the different standards of quality are just a few aspects of multimedia which cause potential clients to be understandably cautious about what and who to choose.

As a client you owe it to yourself and the organisation you’re representing to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money. When approached by a designer or you’re on the look for a designer yourself, be sure to look at the work itself rather than spending too much time looking over the features. A designer can offer you an amazing set of features and fancy tech words, but if they don’t have the ability to offer those features in a way which speaks to you and/or your organisation you’re essentially paying for nothing more than a template. Speak to your designer, establish that they understand who you are, what you’re about and be sure that you’re confident in their abilities before undertaking any work. That doesn’t mean that you should ignore everything they say regarding features which could be utilised to enhance your work (afterall the reason we have designers is that they should know such things better than anyone else), just be sure that you’re comfortable with what they’re suggesting, and never feel obligated to accept their suggestions on face value.

Conclusion

The web is fundamentally and always has been about information, and making it available to as many people as possible. Multimedia is about potential, the widest
The web has swallowed multimedia and it’s impossible to ignore. It’s available to all of us, utilised by large and small organisations alike, and as we all grow with the web, so it will grow with us. For Designers who are but scratching the surface on the potential of multimedia it’s an exciting time of change, but change never comes without it’s dangers. It’s of vital importance that web designers everywhere appreciate these dangers, approaching them with the respect and careful utilisation they truly deserve. It pays testament to a growing industry that so many Companies and freelancers take the required time and attention to utilise multimedia for the true benefit of their clients, but as always there are those who don’t. There are those who exploit both the promises of new media and the pressure it puts on their clients to ‘get with the times’, assuring them that the only way to capitalise on such new ventures is to plough as much money as possible into their pockets and let the pretty moving images and colours do the rest.

Thankfully this mentality does not seem to be apparent in the overwhelming majority, but it pays greatly for all those interested in new media, and the potential it has to improve their communication and services to be cautious when taking those early steps.

Not everything that glitters is gold, but when you get that perfect mix between looks, content and usability, you’ll shine greater than anything else.