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| Introduction |  |
| Definition | |
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The Design Cycle
What to Expect When Expecting Multimedia
What is this?
The Design Cycle: What to Expect When Expecting Multimedia is a design and development guide for San Diego State University faculty who are working with the Department of Instructional Technology Services. It explains the general stages of project development and can be helpful while developing new media projects including CD-ROM, multimedia presentations, and internet web sites.
What am I
getting into?
As a faculty member looking to integrate technology into your classroom, you probably have a lot of questions. The biggest one is probably, "What am I really getting into?"
Developing technological solutions is similar to developing solutions in other disciplines. You start with a problem, come up with an idea to solve it, develop a plan of attack, and finally, implement the solution. Along the way, you run into unforeseen problems and reevaluate your plans as necessary.
In conjunction with the Multimedia Student Assistant Grant from SDSU, ITS provides production expertise including design, graphics, photography, video, audio, and programming. Your main role will be to provide content and subject matter expertise. You'll work with ITS staff and student assistants to complete graphic design, writing, instructional design, programming, and audio/video tasks. In addition, you may be responsible for obtaining copyright permissions, negotiating licensing/royalty agreements, recruiting talent, or securing additional funds. ITS will try to answer any questions you may have, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of tasks is your own.
If there is any possibility that the materials being developed will be marketed, the SDSU Policy File suggests that a "Memorandum of Understanding" be signed in advance of the start of the project. For more information, see "Section III-O: Intellectual Property" of the SDSU Policy File or contact the Office of Research Administration of the Graduate Division.
Completing any product requires a partnership between the client (in this case, you) and the producer of the product (ITS). A team approach usually works best. It encourages creativity and insures the usefulness of the final product. Communication is critical to maintaining this successful partnership. To encourage this communication, we suggest having regularly scheduled meetings to review progress and develop plans. A successful project requires time and effort from the entire team to produce a quality product.
Systematic
Approach
To coordinate the team and the project, ITS uses the DADI process to develop a comprehensive solution to your problem. DADI has four phases -- Definition, Architecture, Design, and Implementation.
In the Define phase, we define needs, goals and gather information. During the Architecture phase, we begin to sort the information, develop a navigation framework, and start to see if it makes sense to people. In the Design phase we start to draft individual screens and develop a "look and feel" for the project. Then, we move into the Implementation phase where it's production, user testing, and bug fixing.
What's Next?
To get some inspiration and get your juices going, please take a look at some ideas for integrating multimedia and the Internet into your classroom and several past projects developed by ITS which may be accessed on the ITS project showcase page.
Once you have an idea of what's possible, move into the Definition phase to help you develop your idea.