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Publication structure
An important consideration in multimedia usability is structure. If the user does not understand the structure, there will be confusion and usage of the product will be impaired. Although in practice, publications are not confined to one structure, a general understanding of the types of structures available and their attributes can aid in multimedia design.
Linear structure
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The traditional structure, and one that we are most familiar with, is the linear structure. Each piece of the information is to be viewed in a fixed position that is essential to its understanding. Time-based media such as film, television or radio broadcast are linear in structure. A linear structure is necessary to tell a story and can be effective when trying to achieve set goals as in educational projects. |
Hierarchical structure
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Each node of the structure represents an idea and may have subordinate nodes that expand on part of the parent nodes. This type of structure is particularly useful for reference material where a user may browse the upper nodes in a linear fashion and then easily go deep into areas of interest without too much confusion. |
Network structure
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A network structure allows the user to jump to many places from different positions within a publication. While this allows great flexibility it can also be confusing with the user becoming disoriented. The disadvantages can be overcome by the addition of good navigational aids. |
Cyclic structure
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A cyclic structure is similar to a linear one in that each piece of information has a set position but is different in that a user can begin at any position and can continue through one complete cycle in order to attain the same amount of information. An example of this might be a public information point in a museum that has a small explanation of each exhibit in a room. Cyclic structure can also be used in education whereby the user needs to reach a level of information before qualification. |
Navigational aids
The usability of a publication depends not only on the structure and links chosen, but also on the user's knowledge of the system and the usefulness of the navigation aids. A user will feel lost if he or she has no way of orienting him or herself. Aids such as path lists allow the user to establish where they have come from while a graphical representation of the accessible system can indicate the location overall.
Aids such as alphabetical content lists or hierarchical tables of contents can also assist the user.
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