Copyright:

Rick Instrell

Summary

A web resource for non-professional creators of digital texts which provides interactive, dynamic displays of the range of communication modes available (eg text, typography, images, colour) as well as simple rules of thumb for effective communication.

Description

The target user is any individual or organisation who wishes to produce a digital text such as a comic, poster, website, video, podcast or weblog.

The user would be able to access an interactive inventory of different communication modes and interactively explore visually and aurally the variables of each mode as well as how communication modes work together.

The idea could be used by individuals or groups.

I see an individual with ICT experience but with little experience of design eg he/she wants to design a website for his/her band, posting band videos and selling their music online. The individual may never have designed a digital text before. He/she would be able to come to the website, quickly learn about the resources required to design a website (text, images, video, audio, typography, colour, layout, interaction, etc), as well as the techniques required to plan the design of information structure, content, interaction, presentation, technical aspects and marketing.

The idea can be used in informal or formal educational contexts.

How it might be used

For example, users might want to create cross-media promotion of their own product.

For each medium, they would be able to explore the variables which they have to consider such as language, image, layout, typography, body language. They would encounter a communications play area in which they could explore a mode (eg colour) and see how altering modal variables (eg hue, brightness, saturation, purity) affects meaning. They would also be able to explore how combinations of modes (eg typography, colour, layout) affect meaning.

Users would see the application of rules of thumb for effective design which combine these variables.

If they wanted to create a poster they would be able to input the shape and number of images to be used in their poster and see sample layouts.

Because this is communicated visually and dynamically they will feel that they can quickly understand the factors involved much quicker than if they were to read a book on design.

They would also be able to upload and showcase their designs so that others can learn from their solutions to communication problems. They would be able to create a folio of their digital texts to be seen by family, friends, employers and educators.

Contact

Rick Instrell
Educational Consultant
3 The Vineyard Business Centre
Saughland, Pathhead
Midlothian EH37 5XP
01875 321048
Mobile: 07931 734825
info@rickinstrell.co.uk
www.rickinstrell.co.uk