A Multimedia Production Method.

Multimedia is expensive, time consuming and extremely skilled work, and assuming that you want to develop a project, lets begin on the assumption that you have loads of cash, plenty of time and you've got access to the best team on Earth. If not then seriously consider whether you should go down this particular road.

1.0: Many producers/publishers have collapsed and that although the WWW is developing, the future requires seriously good people in order to achieve.

1.2: OK, so your still keen, let us begin with sowing the seeds in the cultivating process and lets find out how to bring in that bumper crop

Choosing your plot:

2.0: Being briefed by he client. The appropriate idea for the thing we want to cultivate for the appropriate climate and needs; flower, vegetable, grain?. The concept, why multimedia and what aspect of multimedia, define why you need it and what delivery method

2.1: Good marketing research to define your audience and refine your brief. Although you have an idea of what you want you must find out if it is wanted and how it is wanted - research.

2.2: Board test things - the look and feel before you spend loads on a designer who'll undoubtable change what you meant anyway. Testing helps make it clearer to a team what it is your are aiming to create.

Client relationships and does your client know what they want?

2.3: At any point, you must be able to clearly explain your product to anyone through diagrams, pictures, examples, precedents, etc.

Seeds:

3.0: Assuming your idea has been accepted, you now need to create a PD, this is the definition of our chosen seed - the back of the packet and a clear picture on the front.

3.1: Description of a Product Definition, what it is what it does

3.2: This should distil your idea to an achievable product, you will have to consider things such as the language it comes in, writing style, any narration - nationality, weighting of text against graphics, MPC standard - give idea, platform, size, sound and graphics delivery - 8bit, 22khz? and of course a full description of how everything works.

3.3: Now choose your programmer, your PD should explain how everything works, your programming team can choose the best method of construction

3.4: Working with the programmer you can now develop a Data Budget for the project, essential is space is predetermined (CD, Floppy, Web site)

Farming:

5.0: Whose going to grow it, work the soil? your labourers

5.1: The team, who you may need and why, lists of possible people and they're jobs can be found on the Web site

5.2: Contracts, periodic payments - rewards, penalties

5.3 : Communication and responsibility, no room for any anal retention

Nurturing:

6.0: Nurturing your crop, the things that will help it to fruition

6.1: A clearly defined schedule, that everyone can read, and that has plenty of contingency at each stage. Make sure everybody is on it, and that it is person and job specific. Make sure that you update it regularly, it is your guide to the growth of your product. You will live and breath it, everyone will on your team.

6.2: Request Alphas for periodic testing

6.3: Develop a picture library to catalogue all picture use, copyright and future use.

6.4: Matrix systems to detail what goes where and how.

6.5: Nomenclatures - sort them out early on and ensure everybody understands

6.6: Have a strict backing up and archiving strategy, keep everything preferably on CD and ensure two copies. 8 Bit and 32Bit etc.

6.7 It is wise to document everything and keep every memo, these will enable you to pass the blame when things go wrong, which they will, and at all times maintain utter professionalism.

Harvesting:

7.0: What does it taste like, and will everyone like it? Testing

7.1: You should have ended up with a Beta, a full working version, or so you think.

7.2: Editorial testing is probably within your schedule, although before you commit yourself to platform testing ensure that you are completely happy - alphas are worth testing thoroughly. You won't have time at the end of a schedule to change much.

7.3: Platform testing, why, who and how.

Cooking:

8.0: Preparing it to be eaten - cooking it, presenting it and delivering it to the table. The final production process if there is one - pressing CD's, and uploading it to a server.

8.1: Marketing initiatives to encourage sales/visits

8.2: Packaging and polishing

Reheating:

9.0: Will your food freeze,reheat, and is it sustainable? Other uses of your assets

9.1: Can you reuse your assets for the net/CD

9.2: Have you created a Picture library for further use?

9.3: Can you in fact re use the lot and make a much more successful book out of all of your hard work?