Location: 140C Baker Hall Time: TR 10:30-11:50 Instructor: Andrew Thompson (at2y@andrew.cmu.edu) Office: 139 Baker Hall Office Hours: by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION The development or production of interactive multimedia consists of two separate yet related and often concurrent activities: design and workmanship. The task of design is gathering and organizing information, composing a problem definition, and developing a solution through a period of iterative concept refinement. Workmanship involves the actual making of all media components as well as the construction of a final functional product or prototype from these components. This course provides students with hands-on experience designing and making interactive multimedia, with particular emphasis placed on the development of competent, capable and careful design and crafting techniques and methods. Students will work with faculty clients designing and developing a web-based interactive environment, while learning about organizational strategies, composing problem definitions, and designing layout, navigation and interaction schemes. Workshops in programming languages and software applications -- HTML, Javascript, Lingo, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier and Director -- will be scheduled throughout the semester.

COURSE OUTLINE Part I Web Page Authoring: In this section each student will design and construct a web site. Focus will be on acquiring the necessary skills to produce web documents and creating an appropriate and clear design. Support software will be addressed as necessary. Recommended Text: Creative HTML Design Part II Director Authoring: In this section each student will learn how to use the multimedia tool-kit Director, through the design and construction of interactive multimedia modules for web presentation as Shockwave applets. Support software will be addressed as necessary. Recommended Text: Director 7 Demystified (or 6)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS Semester Project: This course is hands-on, and each student is expected to complete a project in two phases corresponding to the two sections of the course. Attendance: Because of the nature of this course attendance is essential. There is considerable material to cover and a relatively limited amount of class time in which to cover it. My intention is to use class time as a work session, wherein I will introduce new skills and techniques, review work in progress, and answer any questions. Because failure to attend regularly, will inhibit your ability to successfully complete the required assignments, participate in critiques, and learn the material presented, each student is permitted to take 2 unexcused absences for each of the two phases of the course (= total of 4 unexcused absences for the course). Unexcused absences in excess of this allowance will result in a reduction of the final grade of the applicable phase of the course by 1 letter grade for each day missed. Excused absences include illness (with a doctor's note), family issues and employment interviews. Tardiness: It is also important that you be on time to class, or better, a few minutes early. Because of the amount of material to be covered, we must take full advantage of the class period. In addition, because the lessons will often proceed in a sequential manner, it is important that you arrive on time to avoid my having to repeat material and delay the class. I will take attendance in the beginning of class; if you are not present for the roll call, you will be marked absent. It is your responsibility to inform me of your presence before the end of the class. I will not look for you. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence.