Design of Multimedia Communication

Code:

CC013

Acronym:

DCMULT

Instance: 2012/2013 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Journalism and Communication Sciences
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Communication Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
CC	15	Plano Oficial a partir de 2008/2009	3	-	5	52	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Understand the role of multimedia communication design in the representation of information, and its relevance for understanding this information.
Apply the structural concepts of Visual Communication Design to the context of multimedia communication.
Explore the areas of study of visual communication in multimedia communication.
Reflect on the relationship between hypermedia features and visual language.
Understand the role of Communication Design in exploring narrative genres, and their application in the various multimedia products.
Reflect and analyse, from a critical viewpoint, on the main functions of multimedia communication design, in its informative, didactic, communicational and artistic component.
Develop projects, combining technical knowledge and design concepts in a creative and theoretically sustained way.

Program

- Introduction to Multimedia Communication Design. Definition of the concept. Relationship between design, technology and culture.
- Characterisation of the multidimensional, plurisensorial and interactive environment.
- Morphological elements of design and exploring them in the new media: configuration; colour; Scaling elements of design. Interpretation. Intonation, distortion, elaboration and dimensionality.
- Visual codes. Study of visual codes in the multimedia context: typography, iconography, graphics and image (illustration and photography).
- Sequence codes. Study of sequence codes: image in motion and hypertextuality.
- Visual communication design in dynamic and interactive supports. - Interactivity: exploring interactivity; new depth; indicators of interactivity. - Interface: applying the subject’s theoretical contents to interface design: visual identity, digital signs and signals and dynamic iconography.
- Multimedia discourse and hierarchy of contents in multimedia documents - image, text, graphics, video and sound.
- Relationship between design and the user – integration, dialogue and accessibility; navigation; information organisation – hierarchy, relations and function.
Multimedia as a support and process to configure information.

Mandatory literature

WURMAN, Richard Saul; Information Design, The MIT Press
LIDWELL, William; Universal Principles of Design, Rockport Publishers
RÀFOL, Rafaels, Antoni Colomer; Diseño audiovisual, Editorial Gustavo Gili
IVARS, Christian Hervás; El Diseño gráfico en television – técnica, lenguaje y arte, Catedra
ROYO, Javier; Diseño digital, Paidós Diseño
BARKER, Philip e Masoud Yazdani; Iconic Communication, Intellect Books
BONSIEPE, Gui; Del objecto a la interface, Ediciones Infinito
COTTON, Bob, Richard Oliver; Understanding hypermedia, Phaidon
MULLET, Kevin, Darrel Sano; Designing Visual Interfaces, Sunstoft Press

Complementary Bibliography

TUFTE, Edward, ; Visual explanations: images and quantitier, evidence and narrative, Graphics Press
TUFTE, Edward; Envisioning Information, Graphics Press
CAPLIN, Steve; Icon Design, Alastair Campbel
ARNHEIM, Rudolf; Arte e Percepção Visual, Pioneira
MEGGS, Philip; A History of Graphic Design, Wiley
TUFTE, Edward, ; The Visual display of quantitative information, Graphics Press
Ideografia Dinâmica; LÉVY, Pierre, Instituto Piaget

Teaching methods and learning activities

A theory and expository component, by the lecturer, with a view to the presentation and development of contents; reflection and discuss, analysis of texts and practical cases, in which students are encouraged to participate.

A practical component, intended for students to apply the concepts learned, in individual or group assignments.

Software

Adobe Premiere
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Flash
Adobe Illustrator

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	52,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Eligibility for exams

To be eligible for exams, students must attend 75% of all course hours.

Calculation formula of final grade

- Continuous assessment, based on the work developed during the semester (30%);
- Final project (40%);
- Theory assignment (30%);

Examinations or Special Assignments

Failure to attend 75% of classes, in the cases established by law, may require an oral discussion of the assessment items presented, to be indicated by the lecturer by the end of the respective semester, and a new written test on the subject contents.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students under special student status should give notice of their situation to the lecturer before 31 October of the respective academic year.
- Students shall establish together with the lecturer a work plan, without prejudice to the rights and benefits provided by law.
- If a student is not able to attend classes, s/he shall book appointments with the lecturer to discuss project work.
- Coursework must always be supervised by the lecturer, if not, it will not be considered for assessment purposes.

Classification improvement

The improvement of grades is done according to the parameters of the assessment type in force.

Observations

For assessment purposes, all coursework must always be supervised by the lecturer.

The deadline for submitting the assignments is 15 January 2009.