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Multimedia Application
Development Lifecycle
ISMT multimedia 2002
Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Lecture Overview
Multimedia application development
lifecycle
What is the same as in other product dev’t
lifecycles
.. And what is different
Individual phases and their characteristics
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 2 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Multimedia application
development lifecycle
Most similarities can be found with the
software development lifecycle
computers involved – the product itself is software
requirements often vague and unstable
Important differences:
both technical and creative/artistic parts are present,
with creative/artistic aspect often more important
special equipment – interface/conversion problems
prototyping is a must
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 3 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phases
conceptualization and planning
design and prototyping
production
testing
distribution and follow-up
and (of course) management
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 4 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Management
phase 0, because it …
spans all other phases, including activities
such as
planning
estimation
control
resource management
documenting
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 5 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Business Plan
Defines objectives and means to achieve
these objectives
Analyze and define
finances
markets
products
distribution channels
key employees
Develop a business model
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 6 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Project Management
Planning, estimating, monitoring,
controlling, and coordinating resources
finances
people
material resources (equipment, tools, materials, ...)
content
in order to achieve the project objective
Most important variables: time, cost, quality
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 7 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Multimedia project
management
Traditional project management tasks
Additionally, the manager of a multimedia
project must orchestrate different
technologies
persons (with skills and personalities)
resources
in a marketplace that is constantly evolving
and changing
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 8 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Project plan
A common document which should help all
interested parties to
understand the defined goal
understand the way of attaining the goal
follow the schedule
cooperate with others
use the resources (tools and content) properly
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 9 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Finances
$ Funding: the process of finding sources of
capital to develop your product
$ Various types of funding:
$
$
$
$
loans
grants
self-funding
venture capital
But: each has good and bad sides
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 10 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
People
Many different specialties are required in
each phase of the project
Both technical and artistic specialties are
needed
They have different
backgrounds (professional and cultural)
skills and expertise
and, of course, personalities
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 11 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Material resources
Different types of resources
Computer hardware and software
Production equipment
Content (existing and new)
How to obtain them?
Borrow
Lease
Purchase
Make your own
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 12 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Legal issues
Securing sources of funding
Licensing content and/or technology
Hiring employees or contractors
Drafting contracts
Purchasing or leasing the necessary
equipment, props, office space
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 13 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 1: Conceptualization
and Planning
Every multimedia project
begins with an idea or
concept
The concept and the plan
define a project
Planning should make the
realization of the concept as
straightforward as possible
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 14 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
The Kickoff Meeting
Projects often start with a
meeting to discuss the
project direction and plan
Usually only a group of key players
Serves to create and unite the team
Defines and/or clarifies goals, roles,
expectations, and strategies
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 15 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Project Scope
What are you making? …
… the concept
What is it for? …
… the purpose
What do you want to say? … … the message
What will be used? …
… the approach
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 16 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Types of projects
Electronic Books and
Magazines
Kiosks and
Information Centers
Multimedia Databases
Corporate Training
Interactive Education
Interactive Games
Interactive Music
Interactive Movies
Interactive Art and
Performance
Interactive Sales and
Marketing
Presentations and
Communications
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 17 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Target Audience
what is their background (with respect to
age, education, gender, …)
what are their preferences (even those
prescribed by current fashion)
are there some cultural and other
constraints to be observed
what equipment will they use to access your
product (environment)
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 18 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
The Message
What is the message that you want to
convey to your audience
All components of your project must be
related to its message
Consistency
Focusing
Creativity
Closely related to the “approach”
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 19 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Market Research First …
Identification:
Is there a target audience at all?
Is there significant competition?
What could be our edge
in the marketplace?
Classification
business vs. consumer
early adopters vs. lazy ones
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 20 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
… Technical Research Later
Is it technically feasible to create a product
that is better, cheaper, more useful than
anything else available
Think about:
Delivery media
Installed base
Storage capacity
Speed
Economy
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 21 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 2: Design
Bridging the gap between
the audience and you
Design should embody
concept, purpose, and messages
Technology helps and often is indispensable
– but technology alone without the proper
design creativity cannot do the trick
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 22 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Design goals
Simplicity
Consistency
User involvement
Affordability
Fun, efficiency, timing
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 23 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Simplicity
Multimedia by definition includes user
interaction and exploration
Note: prettiest designs may not be the
simplest, nor the easiest to use
Good interaction design should instill a
desire to go on and find out more
However, efficiency is always an issue
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 24 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Consistency
Primarily related to user interface (we will
have more to say about this)
A good product should behave in a
consistent manner
Consistency reduces learning time and
reduces chances for surprise, even with
functions you have never used before
Increased familiarity translates into
increased productivity
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 25 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
User involvement
Most people like to get “involved”
Adding a human dimension to the
communication with a mindless machine
People enjoy exploring and discovering new
paths – reward curiosity by designing depth
Allow users to explore more than one level
of information – but only if they explicitly
choose to do so
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 26 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Affordability
Analyze what the users from
the target group can afford
Different audience segments have
different amounts they are willing to
spend on a given product
Design goal: accommodate as much as
possible within a given price range
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 27 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Other qualities
some applications can be fun to use (but
each user can have his or her own definition
of what exactly is “fun”)
user comprehension has its own pace – try
to be neither too fast, nor too slow
performance is always an issue: but this is
predominantly a technical problem
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 28 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Shaping the Design
Often begins with a
brainstorming session
a dynamic process of gathering
ideas and exploring possibilities
without judgement or constraint
A good brainstorming session results in a
collection of ideas and solutions that
become the foundation for both the design
and the prototype developed from it
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 29 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Storyboard
An illustrated scene-by-scene plan for telling
a story: represents actions, images and
narration unfolding over time
Each significant frame is described in
(some) detail, the actors are outlined, and
their important actions are spelled out
Storyboard may be considered to be a
specification of the prototype (and,
ultimately, the product itself)
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 30 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Information Design
How to organize and present information in
a clear, accurate, meaningful and useful
form
Includes the information in all media and
their visual interaction (to an extent)
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 31 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 3: Prototyping
A limited implementation of a
design
Emphasizes exploration and
experimentation
Prototyping helps simplify and
improve production process
Often used as proof-of-concept
and/or testing purposes
Multimedia applications must be
prototyped
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 32 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Product Specifications
A complete list of features
that covers structure and
behavior of the product
should emerge from the
prototyping phase
In multimedia, this means
type and amount of content,
interface characteristics, and
interaction
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 33 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 4: Production
Organizing people and resources
Providing and producing content – text,
graphics, videos, sound, animation, VR
Integrating all of the above into a
meaningful, coherent product
Details of production related to different
media types will be covered in a separate
lecture
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 34 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Organizing the Production
Schedule
Specification of all the tasks and their
interdependencies in sufficient detail
Estimates should be made for each task (i.e., time
and effort / manpower)
Appropriate resources should be allocated
A number of milestones has to be established
Main project goals must be established
Deliverables: the product itself, documentation and
additional materials
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 35 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Organizing People
Responsibilities and roles should be clearly
delineated and defined
Some people may take on different roles
(well-defined tasks are a must)
Professional services should be used
whenever possible (at a cost)
Remember: quality obtained is always
proportional to investment made
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 36 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Organizing Production
Resources
Organizing resources: define what is
required and a schedule of its usage
Equipment selection: based on the project
script and on the actual shooting location
Major equipment has its own schedule, with
each major piece assigned to a person
Compatibility issues must be resolved
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 37 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Source Materials
Source: any items containing media data
that can be used in our product
Production can involve
creating new source materials,
converting (re-purposing) existing materials,
or (most often) both
Source materials must be indexed and kept
in order (do not delete anything, never)
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 38 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Selecting the Right Tools
Most important criteria:
Whether the production artists are familiar with the
tool(s) selected
Whether the format used by the tool is compatible
with other tools
Availability and cost may be important for
small projects: in large projects, the cost is
never a big part of the overall budget
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 39 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Production Integration
Integrating content elements: usually the
responsibility of programmer(s)
Project manager must overview integration
Project manager should make sure that no
content is forgotten or missing
Problems of all types tend to multiply as the
delivery time is approaching
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 40 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Style guide
Necessary in order to create a product with a
sense of integrity and unity
Use of punctuation, grammatical conventions, use of
jargons
Samples, illustrations and templates for graphical
layout
Graphics production: standards used, layout templates
Video production
Sound production
Conducting and attending production meetings
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 41 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Documentation
Different types of documentation may be
needed, depending on the project
Both size and scope depend on the project
and its intended audience
Mass audience requires the documentation to be as
simple as possible, together with additional materials
(getting started, tutorials, … )
Narrow, well-educated audience require in-depth
coverage, description of more sophisticated functions
Internet helps…
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 42 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 5: Testing
Walking in user's shoes – before the user
does so
Main questions
When to test
What to test
How to test
When to stop testing
But the crucial question is: can testing give
us complete confidence in the product?
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 43 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
More on testing
Different types of testing: functional, content
testing, collateral materials testing, user
testing
Different timing: alpha, beta, user testing
Test plan with relevant information on
schedule
resources
testing environment
deliverables
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 44 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 6: Distribution
Activities related to:
Preparation and duplication of physical media
Choosing distribution options and channels
Marketing
Sales
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 45 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Options and Channels
 Publishers
 Affiliated label program
 Self-publishing
 Mail order catalogs
 Distributors
 Retailers
 Education and
government markets
 Content-specific stores
 Direct mail
 Bundling
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 46 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Marketing
Public relations – press releases, press kits,
trade shows
Promotions
Advertising
Meetings, presentations and negotiations
Sales calls
Product demonstrations
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 47 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Phase 7: Follow-up
Development wrap-up
Maintenance
Training
Documentation
Customer relations
Pursuing additional opportunities
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 48 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Development Wrap-up
To determine the actual schedule and costs
and compare them against the original
estimates
To find out ways in which the process (and
subsequent products) could be improved
In other words: how we did it, and what have
we learned by doing it (that coul dhelp us
fare better next time)
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 49 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Customer Support
Providing assistance to customers and
clients in response to specific problems and
inquiries
Internet helps here as well …
Main activities:
maintenance
training
Multimedia titles generally need little
support
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 50 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Maintenance Classification
Maintenance: managing the operation and
use of a product once it has gone into
distribution
Different classifications possible
according to strategy (preventive vs. defensive)
according to type of changes introduced (corrective,
perfective, or adaptive)
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 51 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Training
Teaching and educating an audience about
the purpose and use of a product
Training equips users to be self-sufficient
with a product – reduces users’ need for
support
Consequently, training should reduce the
cost of supporting the product
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 52 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
User Feedback
(What do they think of us?)
mail-back registration cards
online customer comment forms
direct customer contact (e.g., by phone or
email)
press reviews, and
sales statistics
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 53 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić
Pursuing additional
opportunities
Some products are suitable for organizing
user groups – some are not:
Oracle user group makes sense
Encarta user group does not (why?)
New versions or upgrades
Reuse of the content material in a different
publishing medium
Creation of companion products
ISMT multimedia 2002 Lecture on Multimedia Application Development Lifecycle /Slide 54 © Dr Vojislav B Mišić