The Structure of FlashHelp Skins

The real magic of FlashHelp, however, lies in its Flash-based presentation layer, or 'skin.' You can completely customize FlashHelp skins to match the look and feel of any application, no matter how unique.

Joseph, Amar 'AJ'. Adobe (2004). Articles>Documentation>Multimedia>Flash

Structuring Complex Interactive Information

To improve the structure of complex information when it is to be presented electronically, technical communicators may turn to ideas taken from object-oriented programming, to clarify and revive the structure of the material in existing documents before mounting them online. But when an organization starts moving information onto the Web, technical communicators may go through a phase transition, as the system becomes so much more complex it exhibits emergent behaviors, and demands new attitudes, concepts, and work from the technical communicator.

Price, Jonathan R. Communication Circle, The (1997). Articles>Information Design>Multimedia

Studio for New Media

The Studio for New Media is an interdisciplinary research institute organized to support, further, and coordinate work with digital media.

Studio for New Media. Organizations>Web Design>Multimedia>Iowa

A Survey Of Multimedia On CD-ROM  

CD-ROM (compact disk read only memory) multimedia technology has opened the door to vast quantities of readily accessible information for personal computer users. For a product to qualify as a multimedia effort., it must incorporate sound (recorded music and voice) and dynamic graphics (video and/or animation), as well as static text and graphics.

Owens, Raymond P. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Multimedia>CD ROM

Sympathy for the Plug-in

If Flash is indeed a cancer on the Web, how come so many artists (and viewers) adore it? The much-maligned multimedia plug-in bites back, with help from Flash artist Peter Balogh.

Balogh, Peter. List Apart, A (2000). Articles>Web Design>Multimedia>Flash

Talking-Head Video Is Boring Online

Eyetracking data show that users are easily distracted when watching video on websites, especially when the video shows a talking head and is optimized for broadcast rather than online viewing.

Nielsen, Jakob. Alertbox (2005). Articles>Multimedia>Video>Eye Tracking

Tech Head Stories

Interested in multimedia? Digital Cinema? Digital Storytelling? Do you want to make these things? How about story structure and digital technology? No matter, there's something here for you.

McLellan, Hilary and Roger Wyatt. McLellan Wyatt Digital (2002). Resources>Software>Ethnographies>Multimedia

Tech Writing Folk Songs  

The long-awaited summary of Tech Writing Folklore and Minstrelsy!

TECHWR-L (1998). Humor>Writing>Multimedia>Audio

Technical Communication Flash Cards

These interactive flashcards will help you review the most important terms and concepts in each chapter of Mike Markel's Technical Communication. As you feel confident about each term, drag the flashcard over to the 'Learned' stack. You may then use that stack to test yourself.

Markel, Mike. Bedford-St. Martin's (2001). Resources>Multimedia>Interactive

Technical Communication: Multimedia

These are links for some of the training tools and tutorials online for software used by technical writers and trainers like Flash, Dreamweaver, Framemaker, and others.

Cadieux, Michelle. Yahoo. Resources>Multimedia>Software

Technical Documentation Goes Electronic: New Media Create New Problems for Technical Writers

It is not very helpful if we reject any responsibility, even if it would be covered by some laws dealing with product safety and product liability.

Thiele, Ulrich. TC-FORUM (1999). Design>Multimedia>Legal

Technical Illustration and the Video Camera  

A video camera is an excellent tool for preparing technical illustrations and procedures. A video tape of a procedure provides chronological information. It provides visual images that can be used as the basis for technical illustrations. Visual images and details are recorded permenantly so that they are not forgotten. The research information can be passed on to another author. A case study illustrates how a video tape can be used to document a procedure and produce electronic illustrations.

Schneider, Livingston S. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Multimedia>Video>Technical Illustration

The Technical Writer – The Movie

Why would someone make a movie and call it The Technical Writer? I did a quick rundown of similar titles from a movie web site, but I couldn't detect much of a pattern.

Kyle, Charlie. MetroVoice (2003). Articles>Multimedia>Video

Technologies of the Visual

The progression of computer-generated images in motion pictures gives a sense of where we are headed.

Faigley, Lester. University of Texas (1999). Articles>Rhetoric>Visual Rhetoric>Multimedia

Things Momma Never Told Us: Technical Issues of Successful CD-ROM Development  

The amount of complexity involved in providing technical documentation on CD-ROM depends on the document formats you want to support, the extent to which you customize the publishing packages and the design expectations for the finished product. Issues and decisions include: (1) choosing software packages, (2) structuring files, directories and writing style for the medium, (3) adding navigation and userfriendly features, (4) providing (and obtaining!) technical support and (5) working with a CD-ROM manufacturer. The payoff includes the satisfaction of providing a truly value-added product and—not incidentally—the increased technical skills acquired by documentation staff.

Grieve-Zerkel, Shelley. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Multimedia>CD ROM

Tips and Tricks for Including AVI (Video) Demos in Your Online Tutorial  

This presentation focuses on creating video demonstrations of software for online tutorials, using AVI files, and Inserting these files into Windows Help or HTML.

Rosenberg, Nad. STC Orange County (1998). Presentations>Documentation>Multimedia>Video

Tips For Optimizing Flash Movies

When you're ready to deliver your Flash movie to your audience, use the Publish Settings or Export Movie option to export the Flash FLA file to a format for the Web.

Berg, Debbie. WebDeb (2001). Design>Web Design>Multimedia>Flash

Towards Multimodal Public Information Systems    

In the future e-Home, information from various sources, located both globally and locally, are at hand for a wide range of tasks. Many of these tasks involve finding out about public authorities' rules and regulations. The Public Tax authorities, for instance, provide hundreds of documents on their web site (forms, FAQ’s, tax rules, etc.). Currently, the user is restricted to navigating and searching these information sources by clicking hyperlinks or typing in keywords in a search box. Suppose a citizen needs to know what the local tax in his area is. By providing the keywords “kommunalskatt” (local tax) and “Linköping” to the search engine five documents are retrieved and the user can continue clicking on the provided links to see if the answer is provided in the documents found. On the other hand, supposing that the user had the ability to state the information problem in natural language.

Merkel, Magnus and Arne Jonsson. Linkopings Universitet (2002). Articles>Information Design>Government>Multimedia

Traceability, Reproducibility, Compatibility - Quality Control Elements in Audio Information Transfer  

In transfer from one medium to another or one format to another, the target format may be able to hold more information or less information than the original. According to the purpose of the transfer, a selection offeatures may be made as a minimum requirement for transfer. Awareness of Traceability, Reproducibility and Compatibility will ensure the fulfilment of these requirements. The dedicated transfer station approach using calibrated equipment is contrasted with the use of diagnostic signals for use with transfer stations of any standard. The advantages and disadvantages of the respective approaches are mentioed, in particular as regards long term storage. The background for creating diagnostic signalsfor transfer of mechanical recordings is discussed in depth.

Brock-Nannestad, George. STC Proceedings (1998). Design>Multimedia>Streaming>Audio

Transactional Literacy  

Ever wonder why we find graphical user interfaces, hypertext, and multimedia so appealing? Some of the appeal has to do with language itself which is the basis of human transactions, and some of it has to do with our conditioning as a literate society. Literacy builds on visual as well as verbal skills. This paper traces the roots of language to the ascendancy of print technology to explain how visualization is the foundation of literacy.

Hawkes, Lory. STC Proceedings (1993). Presentations>Human Computer Interaction>Multimedia

Translating Videos for an International Market  

Smith explains the process of translating videos. The article includes sidebars on video terms and advice on choosing a video translation firm.

Smith, Jackie. Intercom (2002). Design>Multimedia>Localization>Video

Under the Desktop: The Real Nitty Griddy

For creative professionals working in digital video and other media that demands high-performance computing, dual-processor machines are a godsend. But what happens when even two processors aren't enough? Welcome to the world of grid computing.

Morgenstern, David. Creative Pro (2004). Articles>Computing>Multimedia

Understand Film Language: An Introduction for Technical Communicators  

The techniques of film language areas important to video and multimedia presentations as the techniques of written language are to technical documentation. Film language consists of such components as shot content, frame composition, camera movement, color (or shade), lighting, and film transitions. Film transitions are the way in which shots and sequences are connected and carry specific semantic weight for the viewer. However for many technical video-makers, the meanings of film transitions are overlooked in favor of flashy presentations or are abused to cover a problem. In developing videos for training or informational purposes, we should respect and understand the significance of film transitions and other aspects of film language.

Tillman, Michael A. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Multimedia>Visual Rhetoric

Up-To-Date Replay Facilities for Obsolete Mechanical Recording Formats  

Obsolete mechanical formats forma major part of archives’ holdings, Once a format has passed into obsolescence, there is virtually no commercial development in replay facilities, and the system as such dies. The paper discusses the fundamental principles of mechanical recording and replay as well as the latest constructions for replaying historical discs and cylinders - commercial and non-commercial. An Aaliendum gives simple instructions to the archive having only an occasional need to replay historical formats.

Brock-Nannestad, George. STC Proceedings (1998). Articles>Multimedia>Online>Audio

Use Data URIs to Include Media in XML

There are many ways to link to non-XML content within XML, including binary content. Sometimes you need to roll all such external content directly into the XML. Data scheme URIs are one way to specify a full resource within a URI, which you can then use in XML constructs. In this tip, Uche Ogbuji shows how to use this to bundle related media into a single file.

Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2006). Articles>Information Design>Multimedia>XML