Development
of multimedia technology began as an offshoot of the desktop publishing
explosion in the 1980's, when simple disk-based delivery of documents
began to be supplimented with audio clips and graphic animations. Computer-based
presentation software, such as Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Persuasion,
soon followed. The technology grew expansively when CD-ROM capabilities
became commonplace in personal computers. CD-ROM provides the high-volume
storage capacity required for more complex animation, video and full-length
audio tracks. Commercial packages such as Macromedia's Director and Authorware
were made available to enable the rapid development of full-length computer-based
training (CBT) systems, electronic reference material, and marketing pieces
unlike anything that were possible before. Now, multimedia technology
has reached its greatest potential to date, with the advent of the Internet
and the world-wide web. Web sites make use of every media type imaginable
to convey every manner of message. The Internet provides the delivery
mechanism that allows your message to reach an unlimited audience.
Digital
vs.Print
Whenever
your desired audience is likely to have access to a typical desktop or
notebook computer, multimedia can provide you with a variety of powerful
advantages over printed material:
Economics
For
pieces with high-volume content, a large audience or a long life-span,
digital media technology can provide significant cost savings throughout
the life-span of the project. With the proper planning and tools, a given
content base can be deployed using more than one delivery mechanisms,
e.g. on both a CD-ROM and a web site, often for less cost and with more
effective audience reach than a print piece would produce.
Design
Flexibility
Print
pieces are flat, linear and 2-dimensional. These characteristics limit
your options for organizing and structuring the information you want to
present. Digital media allows us to develop multi-dimensional, interactive
pieces that are structured to suit the intended use of the material.
Content
Life Span
Because of the dynamic nature of many businesses and the markets they
operate in, many print pieces are obsolete before they even reach paper.
When planned properly, digital media production can allow the content
to be revised and updated up to and beyond the point of initial deployment,
insuring that your audience always receives the most current and accurate
information.
Can
We Help?
Nbm
has been deeply involved in the application of multimedia technologies
for clients of all sizes for over ten years. We can make every step of
the process of designing and producing digital media pieces painless and
cost-effective for you:
Content
Development
We
can provide you with a comprehensive range of services to help you create
and develop your message and design its visual appearance.
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