• To mediate knowledge about concepts, methods and technology for design and implementation of multimedia interfaces as well as collaborative design and team work in web-based environments

• This 2 module PE (project unit) course is placed during semester 5 of the Aalborg University open Master of IT education.

• The Multimedia paradigm
• Multimedia interface properties and underlying models
• 3D models in the WWW
• Contextual design and user requirements formulation
• Usability tests during design
• Collaboration and knowledge transfer tools
• Data sources content, editing and formats
• Limitations and possibilities

• The project unit is evaluated through oral examination with external censor. Individual characters according to the 13-scale.

'Delivered' material

• Beyer H, Holtzblatt K, 1998, Contextual Design. Defining Customer-Centered Systems. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco. (472 pp) see also http://www.incent.com/CDP.html This book is good but somewhat rich in words. The lectures gives suggestions for important chapters to read and examples are given on conceptual models in the lecture notes under 1) Multimedia Setting the Scene.
  
  
• Faulkner Xristine, 2000, "Usability Engineering". MacMillan Press, New York (244 pp.). (EXTRACTS: pp. 21-28 'Usability - know the user', pp. 157-160 'Cooperative Evaluation', pp. 188-192 'Usability heuristics'.) (http://www.palgrave.com/science/computing/faulkner/) This is also a good book that will support both the design and usability engineering activities.
  
  
• Hoogeveen M, 1997, "Towards a Theory of the Effectiveness of Multimedia Systems". International Journal of Human Computer Interaction, 9(2), (pp. 151-168). http://cyber-ventures.com/mh/paper/mmtheory.htm
  
  
• Christiansson, P, 2001,"Capture of user requirements and structuring of collaborative VR environments". AVR II & CONVR 2001. Conference on Applied Virtual Reality in Engineering & Construction Applications of Virtual Reality. (eds: O. Tullberg, N. Dawood, M. Connell). (201 pp.) Gothenburg October 4-5, 2001. (pp. 1-17).
  
  
• Christiansson P, Svidt K, Skjærbæk J O, Aaholm R, 2001, "User requirements modelling in design of collaborative virtual reality design systems". International Conference on Construction Information Technology. Mpumalanga, Soth Africa, 30 May - 1 June 2001. (pp. 40/1 - 40/12) [this reference updated 2.10.2001]
  
  
• Christiansson P, 2001, "Experiences from Using Internet Based Collaboration Tools". 'Konference om Arkitekturforskning og IT'. Proceedings Conference on Architectural Research and Information Technology. Nordic Association for Architectural Research. Arkitektskolen i Aarhus 27.-29. april 2001. (pp. 103-112).
  KEYWORDS: Virtual reality, collaborative work, ICT tools, design, intelligent buildings, knowledge transfer.
  
  
• Christiansson P, 2000, "IT in Distributed Open Learning Environments". 'Construction Information Technology 2000 - Taking the Construction Industry into the 21st century', (ed. G. Gudnason) Icelandic Building Research Institute. ISBN 9979-9174-3-1. Reykjavik, Iceland in June 26-30 , 2000. (pp. 197-208).
  KEYWORDS: distributed learning, IT, experiences, project work.
  
  
• Christiansson P, 1990, "Advanced Material Vendor Information System - AMVI". Automation in Construction 2 (1993) . Elsevier Science Publications. Amsterdam (pp. 109-121)
  
  
• Modin, j, 1995, "COOCOM, New ways of using Information Technology for buildings design and management". (COOperation and COMmunication in the building process). KBS-Media Lab, Lund University. (29 pp.)
  
  

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  From the first year HCI course
• Nielsen J, 200, 1999, "Designing Web Usability : The Practice of Simplicity". New Riders Publishing; ISBN: 156205810X . (432 pp.). 36 US$ (530 DKK). (Amazon)

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Further reading
1. LINKS TIL HCI Kursus for IT-Master Forår 2000. http://www.cpk.auc.dk/~lbl/IT-master/
2. Xerox, 1995, 'X Heuristic Evalualtion - A System Checklist'. Usability Analysis & Design, Xerox Corporation. (22 pp.) PDF-version.
3. Usability Net. http://www.usabilitynet.org/methods/ AskTog - First Principles. http://asktog.com/basics/firstPrinciples.html
4. Shneiderman, 1998, "Designing the User Interface". Addison-Wesley Longman Inc., Reading Massachusetts. (638 pp).
   
   • Primary reading help.
     
   • See also http://www.aw.com/DTUI/.
     
   • Here you also find questions for self assessment, http://www.aw.com/cseng/titles/0-201-69497-2/website/exams.html.
5. Simpson K. T., 1998, The UI War Room and Design Prism: A user Interface Design Approach from Multiple Perspectives. in User Interface Design. Bridging the Gap from User Requirements to Design. (ed. Larry E. Wood). CRC Press, Boston. 1998. (312 pp) (pp. 245-274).
6. Christiansson P, 1999, " Experiences from Design and Use of IT Supported Distributed Learning Environment". Civil Engineering Learning Technology in Cardiff. (edited by R M Lloyd & C J Moore). Thomas Telford Ltd. London.. ISBN: 0-7277-2839-3. (pp. 29-42).
   3rd AECEF International Symposium (Association of Civil Engineering Faculties with participation of civil engineering faculties from non-European countries). CELTic 1999. 8-10 September 1999, Cardiff.
   KEYWORDS: Distributed learning, problem based learning, multimedia interface, authoring tools, world wide web, education, modelling, collaborative work.
   
   
7. Skjærbæk Jens Ove. 2001, "Erfaringer fra videnhåndtering i COWI intranet. Fremtid". (From Livslang Uddannelse 2001, "IT i Byggeriet")
8. Karlshøj, Jan, 2001, "Erfaringer fra samarbejde og videnhåndtering i CarlBro projektweb". (From Livslang Uddannelse 2001, "IT i Byggeriet")
   
   
9. .....

• product presentation
• tutorial for understanding project results
• learning material supplied with project

Multimedia, MM, system development steps. The steps below are commented on the introductory lecture 1 above.

1. Define the problem (applications, use cases, actors, intended results,...)
2. Describe the underlying application model that shall be explained (or used) in the MM supported system
3. Define the system design, development and test process (resources available),
4. Choose prototyping and collaboration procedures, authoring tools,..
5. Set up the collaboration environment
6. Conceptual rough outline of form and function for MM system access. Input from 'user groups' (Vision).
7. User requirements modelling with end user involvement. Documentation of work models and scenarios for the MM system
8. Functional interface proposal (User Environment) ver 1. Hypothetical interface solutions.
9. If necessary provide (input to) UML models for the underlying applications
10. Detailed data definition and collection for the MM system
11. Data manipulation needs (graphics, video, 3D models,... )
12. Authoring and design work
13. Usability studies and evaluation with end users
14. goto 7
15. Delivery

• Photoshop (source from digital camera, images, modelling program,...)
• Architectural Desktop (AutoCad)
• 3DStudio (Viz and Max) with VRML and Cult3D output
• Cult3D
• Video editing software (source from digital or analog video)
• Video streaming server
• Netmeeting
• Director (authoring)
• Hyperstudio (authoring)
• etc.