Choosing Your Presentation Format
The first rule of thumb when writing anything for online presentation is to use short paragraphs; this is more conducive to online reading because short paragraphs are easier to skim. Visitors probably won't read every word you write; they'll certainly read sections, but the majority will be looking for specific information. Make it easy for people to find.
Remember to consider visitors with disabilities. Site design with poor color choices and font size can alienate some users because they create a host of problems: Not all monitors — nor all users — interpret colors in the same way, some font colors can blend into the background color for someone who's colorblind, and fonts that are too small or contain unusual design elements can be difficult for someone with vision problems to read.
No matter what you do, keep the following guidelines in mind whenever writing material that will be displayed on a computer:
Use proper contrast between the background and the text color. Some combinations can be impossible to read. Make your Web pages as easy to read as possible; this helps ensure people will take the time to digest your message.
Use a proper size font. If you use smaller fonts, make sure that your HTML code doesn't preclude users from making the text larger. You don't want to risk limiting the readability of your site to those who suffer from physical disabilities such as poor eyesight.
Use short paragraphs. Not only is this what an online user expects, it also reduces eyestrain for those who read computer monitors for long periods of time.
Break up your pages. Long pages make scrolling and printing cumbersome. Keep your pages short; split long ones into smaller sets of two or three.
Verify your links. It is maddening for users to click on a link, thinking that they have found the perfect answer to a question, only to find that the page does not exist. In addition, update your links promptly when you find out that one has changed.
Cross-index your site. Make sure that you can access the index pages from any page in the site, or you may find that you lose some visitors who might land at your site via a middle page. If there is not an indication of other information available, the user may just close the window or move on to another site.
If you're looking for a Web style guide, you can find one at
Determining Your Audience
As you've seen elsewhere in these pages, you must always be attentive to your prospective audience. If you write beyond their comprehension level, they simply won't understand your message. On the Web, that means that people will simply click off the page and find something a little easier for them to understand.
You must do a little bit of investigation, then, and try to figure out some demographics for your ideal audience. Do some research on the Web and look for sites that appeal to the same kinds of users. How specific is the information they offer? Will a broad approach suffice, or will you have to break your ideas down into further specialized categories?
Once you have an idea of who your visitors will be, you can start to tailor your approach for them. You'll have an indication of the expected content and the readership level you should aim for when you're writing. Once you know who you're writing for, you can start to figure out how to present it to them.
Establishing Your Content Outline
Once again, a good outline will save you a lot of wasted time and effort. Outlines force you to plan out your presentation so that you don't end up spending a lot of time on extraneous things that don't (or won't) contribute to your final product.
Plan out the information for the following headings: An example of a Web design outline is provided. Of course, much of the same information will help you with other forms of multimedia presentations, too. If you're not writing for the Web, you still need to address all of these concerns, but you will not need a domain name.
A Web site to which people return is known as a sticky site, and is the objective of any Web presence intended to build customer loyalty or a following.
Domain name: Do you want a special domain name for visitors to type in? (A Web site name like CookingWithPam.com is easier for somebody to remember than a lengthy URL.)
Objective: What kinds of things do you plan to achieve with your online presentation?
Target audience: Who do you anticipate will read or participate in your online presentation?
Resources: What do you plan to offer visitors, and what things can you offer that will keep people coming back?
Layout notes: How do you plan to present your information?
Tree structure: How do you plan to categorize and link your Web pages (or the individual components in your non-Web multimedia presentation)?
The following content outline shows one way to answer all of these criteria. It was used in the site design for the Cookingwithpam.com domain.
Domain Name: |
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Objective: |
Provide a free recipe resource to promote cookbooks and other titles authored by Pamela Rice Hahn |
Target Audience 1: |
Visitors who like to cook |
Target Audience 2: |
Visitors who don't like to cook but want quick and easy recipes |
Recipe pages |
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Reviews: |
Products and ingredients — generic, and also from specific suppliers Utensils and cookware from specific suppliers Appliances — general instructions and reviews of specific brand names Cookbooks — written by Pamela Rice Hahn and other authors |
Reviews: |
Products and ingredients — generic, and also from specific suppliers, with emphasis on time-saving and not sacrificing quality for time Utensils and cookware from specific suppliers, with emphasis on time-saving benefits Appliances — general instructions and reviews of specific brand names, with emphasis on time-saving benefits Cookbooks — Provide additional tips along with any reviews, plus links to related information |
Layout Notes: |
For the purposes of continuity, all Web pages will follow a template. Each page will follow a hierarchical structure based on the Tree Structure. |
Tree Structure |
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Main title page: Featured recipes, featured tips, navigation guide |
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Categories: About, Bread, Baking, Chocolate, Equipment, Cookbooks, My Books, Grilling, Diabetes, Enabled, Whey Low/Sugar-Free, Tips & Tricks |
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Resources: Site index, category index, alphabetical index, search page |
Once you have all of these elements addressed, you can get down to the real work of creating the content without having these little details stop you along the way.
Storyboard Styles
Using a storyboard can be a very effective tool for planning your online presentation. In essence, a
Storyboards are often used in film or television production to provide the crew with a visual example of how the final shot should look. This way, the director's vision is represented in a graphic format that can be easily seen by the props people, lighting technicians, and everyone else involved in the process. When working with a team, these storyboards are very effective in getting everyone focused toward a common goal.
Even if you're not working on a team, a storyboard is still effective because it makes you think about how your presentation will be viewed graphically. It gives you the opportunity to figure out how you want each screen to look; then, using the tools at your disposal, you can figure out how to make the resulting screen look like you want it to.
Of course, your storyboard won't contain only pictures. It will also contain a written description to accompany each picture and describe the elements that pertain to that particular section. Similarly, you won't want to have a picture in the storyboard for each and every screen of your online presentation. You'll merely want to plot out the major elements, and then elaborate upon them in the accompanying text. You can use hand-drawn stick figures and written notes or Microsoft PowerPoint-style presentation storyboard pages.
Your first step is to break down your presentation into individual components. If you've already been working from an outline, this should be relatively simple; you can just follow the outline you've created, with slight modifications to incorporate the visual aspects. If you haven't already started your outline, now is the time. Follow the instructions for making a general outline, and simply note where you plan to include the pictures as the visual element of your storyboards. Then, elaborate upon the descriptions.
This also gives you the ability to see how your final product will be displayed and gives you the opportunity to realize what problems may arise in the implementation stage. This can also save countless hours later. If you catch them early, you have the chance to fix design challenges before they become very difficult to change.
It also gives you the opportunity to experiment with a number of different formats without having to go through all the work of carrying each design through to its full implementation. You can create a number of different versions of storyboards and then choose which is the best representation for your online presentation. By far its best benefit, however, is that it provides you with a step-by-step guide that will assist in the implementation of your idea.
Script Formats
If your multimedia piece will use sound bites or small audio clips, you'll need to script them.
Remember that the written word and the spoken word are two completely different forms. Writing usually conveys information in a different manner than speech. Often, grammatical rules are bent (or ignored entirely) when people are speaking. You want your sound bites to sound natural and appealing, not stilted and artificial. So when you're writing scripts for the spoken word, you need to take a slightly different direction.
For example, using the above Web outline for Cookingwithpam.com, say you wanted to incorporate some light conversations to go along with the recipes. A script for some “Editorial Commentary” for a basmati rice recipe might be:
Man: Why do you like basmati better, out of curiosity?
Woman: It's plumper. It cooks up fluffier.
Man: Okay. Well, since your answer wasn't “grittier,” I'm gonna let this cook a bit longer.
You'll notice that the grammar indicated in the script wouldn't be acceptable in formal writing. That's because it's being scripted for speech. The voices would be recorded and broadcast to visitors, who will expect it to sound like spoken conversation, not written words being read aloud. The example illustrates the inconsistencies of the spoken word, making it sound more natural.
What would be the purpose of “light” conversation on a formal Web site?
Humor can be used in many ways. By its very nature, light conversation can break up the tension in an otherwise tense moment. (A salesperson might time the telling of a joke in the sales presentation so that it occurs shortly before the sales close.)
Working with a Production Team
If your multimedia presentation is going to be very large, you probably won't be the only person working on it. It's very likely that you'll be working with an entire production team to achieve your goal of an effective online multimedia presentation.
A production team will often consist of the following:
A team leader who oversees the group
Design specialists who are familiar with Web publishing technology
Writing staff, including writers, proofreaders, and copyeditors
Financial management staff for very large projects
Production assistants who ensure that day-to-day tasks are completed
The design and makeup of a production team will depend on the actual scope of the project being created. For very large projects, the above roles may be carried out by a number of people. For smaller projects, team members may find themselves wearing multiple hats.
The production team will break up the necessary tasks and assign them to individuals within the group. Often, frequent production meetings will be held to discuss progress and challenges. Be forthright in your dealings with the group, as you may find that they are able to offer invaluable assistance if you are having problems. By the same token, offer your assistance when others require it.
