Multimodality for Diverse Audiences

What is multimodality?

Multimodality describes communication practices in terms of the textual, aural, and visual resources—or modes—used to compose messages, according to Joddy Murray. It is the combined use of these three modes of communication that constitutes a multimodal composition. Multimodality harnesses the available textual, visual, and aural means of effective communication and semiosis, according to the rhetorical situation for which the piece of communication exists.

What are some examples of multimodal composition?

Videos, infographics, audio essays, podcasts, blogs, newspapers, collages, comic strips, and storyboards all qualify as forms of multimodal compositions. Basically, any combination of traditional text with other visual and/or aural composition elements constitutes a multimodal composition.

Why is multimodal communication used?

Rhetorical appeal is at the heart of multimodal composition and communication. Classic rhetoricians have studied the ideas of multimodality since the 4^th Century BC, according to Anne Frances Wysocki, with particular attention to the effects of voice, gesture, and expressions in public oration and communication. Anyone with a message, whether it is a teacher trying to instruct a student, an advertiser trying to hook a niche audience, or a government agency trying to encourage enrollment in a program, it is to the benefit of the message author to state their content as effectively as possible for the greatest level of understanding, retention, and influence upon the rhetorical audience.

The uniqueness of each audience member is the reason multimodality ought to be embraced by savvy communicators, educators, business practitioners, and the like. As technology advances, we as communicators have better platforms—hardwares, softwares, and applications—to present our messages in meaningful and influential ways, as never before. Consider “listeners” in educational contexts, community contexts, and business/consumer contexts; audience members vary greatly. The variety of learning styles, disabilities, and microcultures of any given audience is a great incentive for communicators of myriad contexts and mediums to embrace the opportunities technology affords to communicate more effectively to their diverse audiences.

Where is multimodality going?

In multimodal composition, the writer encourages greater interactivity with the reader through the use of various visual and aural media elements. This interaction promotes a sense of connection between the author and the audience, enhancing the reader’s experience and enabling a wider audience base to connect vitally with the material. Because of the technological advances of Web 2.0, there has been a shift away from traditional instruction and communication, to one of greater interactivity via multimodality. This is exemplified by the growing popularity of online video tutorials, forums, manuals, and infographics, to name a few.

As the web continues to evolve, and wearable technologies, new hardwares, and new softwares emerge, the growing trend of message enhancement through multimodal tools is likely to continue to replace modes of communication that marginalize audience participation and comprehension. Users create a demand that fuels an expectation. Because of the great effect multimodal communication is having on multiple audience spheres, it is likely that the trend will continue to augment, embracing new technologies that improve communicate and therefore, connection.

Information Architecture & User Experience Design (UXD)

When developing content for the web, whether creating a complex website or running the CMS for a company, Information Architecture (IA) is an integral part of the process for ensuring a quality site. As I dipped a toe into the topic, I quickly found that there is some confusion over the name of this discipline. In this posting, I would like to address what IA is, why it is of value, key components of IA, other job titles that overlap with IA, and the tools used in IA. Hopefully this post will help illuminate IA and how it can help you create better content for your own online spaces.

Before I delve into what IA is, let me address why we should take the time to study and integrate IA principles into our web development. An analogy taken from Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, by Rosenfeld and Morville, sheds light on IA’s value. In the analogy, they compare the architecture of buildings to information spaces. They point to poorly constructed spaces, such as a modern glass building with windows that don’t open, preventing the circulation of fresh air, or a kitchen without counter space next to the refrigerator. I personally hit my head on a corner shelf nearly every time I sit at the breakfast bar at my parents house (I choose to see this as a poor architectural design as opposed to a personal lack of intelligence).  As you can imagine, I am well aware that the shelf should not have been hung in its current location. Just as living and using a space physically makes us aware of what works and does not, so it is with information spaces. We need to take the time to discover how people are going to move about and use the space and find out what their needs and functions will be, so that we construct spaces that are intuitive to that end, i.e., that shelf has to go!

So, what is IA? Information Architecture, as definite by the Information Architecture Institute is, “The art and science of organizing and labeling web sites, intranets, online community and software to support usability and findability.” I like Rosenfeld and Morville’s simple IA definition: “The structural design of an information space to facilitate task completion and intuitive access to content.” Basically IA is analyzing and designing information spaces according to the rhetorical context of the site, in terms of both user and business owner. IA tells your site visitors where they are and what to they’re going to see and encounter in this space.

IA has a few key components that set it apart from other disciplines. It generally addresses information organizational structures, navigation systems, labeling systems, and search systems. One analogy often applied to IA is that of a librarian. A site with good IA is like a librarian who makes retrieving information easy, accessible, and positive experientially, as well as thoughtfully accommodating the future archiving and growth of information that a library will most certainly experience. Dan Klyn defines IA components as ontology, taxonomy, and choreography. Watch this vimeo to get his short overview on IA.

http://vimeo.com/8866160

IA was first conceptualized and defined by Richard Saul Wurman, who appeared to be ahead of the times. IA took off as a discipline with the emergence of Rosenfeld and Morville’s book in 1998. IA, what it conceptually is and sets out to do, has and continues to thrive. It should be noted, however, that there is an ongoing debate in job titles, as well as the nuances of what tasks and specialties are attributed to IA vs. other similar disciplines. The main titles that vie with IA are User Experience Design, Taxonomy, and Interaction Design. The term considered to be “in vogue” is User Experience Design or UXD. In my study, nothing seemed overly conclusive. I’ve found attributes and lines of definition that were applied to UXD that had once been applied to IA, and vise versa. The online arguments found in the comment threads of articles and blogs relating to IA and UXD exemplify this inherent debate. My take away was: utilize the concept and be thorough in approach. This brings me to tools!

There are a few notable tools in IA, such as flow charts or wire frames, persona research and creation, and usability testing. One way to experiment with possible flows of information is by writing the labels and headings of your information on flip cards, then arrange and rearrange them.

By trying different flows of information you can analyze logical progressions of thoughts or “conversations,” as Ginny Redish conceptualizes tracking visitors paths. Along the line of hypothetical conversations/questions visitors might have, you can use personae research to further your understanding of what a conversation might entail and what your user is hoping to accomplish by visiting your sight. Usability testing is an effective tool to gain vital intel on how people actually interact with your site. This is where you can discover what works and what doesn’t as you allow test groups to interact with different stage iterations of your site.

Some additional things to consider are the goals of the business you represent, the technological options you are constrained and equipped by, as well as the design components of your site. Whether you term it UXD or IA, as the architect of the site, you should be constructing your content in light of the goals of these three arenas while maintaining the ultimate goals of meeting the needs of your site user. I’ve included this venn diagram as I appreciated the visual component of seeing how these areas overlap and relate to one another.

While this post covers a lot of ground, I hope you have a better understanding of IA and the potential it has to improve content quality, setting your site apart from other!

Moving Forward with my PLN

I continue to feel the same about PLNs now as I did when I created my first draft— it presents an opportunity to think strategically and intentionally about my career path, as well as utilizing my relational connections towards my career goals. The sobering reality I face as I create my PLN revision, is considering what I’ve done between draft one and the present to use these connections and move closer to my desired goals.

Admittedly, this is a busy season, with the focus on education. Because of this consuming schedule, most of my advances toward career goals are focused in the academic branch of my PLN. Each class has presented unique opportunities for learning, augmenting my understanding of technical writing, IT, web design and more. Along with the course knowledge, there has been the connections with fellow classmates, many of whom are very talented, motivated, and insightful in different areas of knowledge. Additionally, my professors have been amazing, offering coursework that is practical and applicable. They have brought keen insights into my field of study and constructed projects that are strategically beneficial to launching a career.

Beyond the classroom, I have been speaking with Barb Horvath, one of my professors, about internship opportunities. I am hoping to be enrolled in a design course this spring for the purpose of preparing for a summer internship with a creative web design company. My sister-in-law has a connection to Pixel Farm, a company I’m very interested in exploring. While I will continue to consider options, I would like to initiate a connection there and see if I could possibility intern over the summer.

Additionally, I have been chatting with my brother-in-law, who owns his own construction company, and he is in need of a website. I’ve considered building his site, seeing it as an opportunity to build my experience and portfolio, as well as provide an external motivator to dig into Lynda tutorials and learn more about Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and hopefully Illustrator.

I have a good friend who works for a digital networking company, but who also runs a side business building websites. My plan is to sit down with him and pick his brain concerning different programs and coding languages. There are so many options— I would like to dialogue with someone who has used different programs and platforms before I vest a ton of time into one specific program, as well as find out the pros and cons of the different options available.

This is a general direction for my spring/summer career plans. After the summer, I likely will have one semester left at the University of Minnesota, and then I graduate. Considering how little time that is, I think it would be wise for me to keep tools like my PLN and ePortfolio updated and utilized. I look forward to seeing where this leads!

Victoria’s PLN Revision

 

Creating Web Content for Lutheran Social Services

Creating web content for Lutheran Social Services (LSS) has presented a great opportunity in real life education. Classroom project simulation cannot teach all the nuances of working collaboratively with clients and colleges, where the end product has implications beyond a final grade. I am personally working with a group of talented and capable peers whose ideas and creative processes sharpen my own thinking. The collaborative process always has the potential to render projects in a greater and more refined form, simply because of the synergy inherent in the process. This post is a reflection on what I’ve learned thus far in working with both client (LSS) and peers (WRIT 4662), creating personas, FAQ’s, and vignettes, as well as strategizing content in light of the rhetorical context of LSS visitors and clients.

In Letting Go of the Words, Redish (2012) points out the, “four main types of web pages:

• home pages
• scan, select, and move on pages
• scan and get information pages
• forms pages

Keeping the purpose in mind has helped me to think about what I want to accomplish through a page, and to keep moving the user on toward their goal.

I personally created the personae for the Crisis Nursery (CN) content. Leaning on the personae and vignette has helped me to get in the right mind set when considering what path the potential visitor to the LSS CN page might take. Redish encourages the content designer to have a “conversation” with the users, thinking of the questions they might ask, as well as the information they might be seeking. This simulation should help different paths emerge as content designers adopt the mentalities of their visitors and users.

As my team and I are moving into the content development, we are continually weighing LSS’ goal of inspiring individuals and families to open their homes, and how that merges with the visitor’s objectives. Site visitors are likely there on reconnaissance, trying to find details about Crisis Nursery care, such as what opening their homes might entail, or perhaps a look into someone else’s experience who has done this type of work before. We want to create pages that promote efficient information gathering, intuitive design that anticipates their needs, as well as inspiring visitors during their walk through the site.

One of the challenges to creating intuitive design is balancing the amount of information on the page to meet users needs, while trimming back any unnecessary words and content that would clutter without adding value. Clunky sites that are over stuffed with information and buttons drive users away. As we create our pages, we are hoping to break up content with headings and pictures, as well as chunking information to keep the users hooked and moving along quickly.

As the LSS project continues to develop, I am more and more excited to get into the content management system and begin to lay things out!

HTML in WordPress

Hello all,

I’m currently looking into the coding behind my blog platform, wondering if I can take my template and tweak the HTML to my personal preferences. The convenience, ease, and aesthetics of WordPress, are some of the chief reasons people choose this particular blogger platform over other platforms, but perhaps more specifically, over hand coding.

In my quest for HTML alteration, it appears that with the free version of WordPress, you do not have access to the HTML. The best you can hope for is to customize appearances, on your dashboard. The purchased version of WordPress allows for more alteration.I personally like the color scheme, and the general simplicity of this particular template, which is why I chose it.

In looking for access to the HTML, I am brought back to my original post, Choices, choices…; the first consideration of starting a blog is deciding your objectives and proceeding with a platform accordingly. I have hand coded sites, and I have used platforms. Trying to do must customization within a blogging template is usually a recipe for frustration— especially if the person playing around is familiar with hand coding. It comes down to objectives. Do you want ease of use? Not to have to bother with formatting? Then a template and blogger format is the place for you. If you have very particular branding ideas for a business or personal site, hand coding is probably the way to go. It will make your site individualized, allowing you to create a sense of the brand without the possibility of someone else copying you. That being said, there are templates for purchase, allowing customers the ability to utilize a professionally generated site available only to them, without the work of coding.

I feel there is a place for both of these objectives. There have been times when I want fast, and I am completely happy with the streamlined template. I feel at this time, I will be moving more toward hand coding, yet it is still convenient to have this formatted option in which I can continually create more posts with incredible ease.

WordPress might not open the “backdoor” to the HTML, but I don’t think that was their objective; I also doubt that many of their customers want to delve too deeply into code. If they did, they probably would have hand coded from the beginning.

 

 

 

My first foray into XML

We recently had a guest speaker in WRIT 4662W, Joe Moses, who gave an overview of hand coding. I have worked a bit in HTML, using Dreamweaver as the publishing program, converting the visual pieces of my Photoshop mockup into interactive pages of HTML. During a conversation with Joe Moses and Ann H. Duin, a comment was made that XML was a highly marketable skill, and that a basic understanding, at the least, will give you the ability to communicate more effectively in world of IT and digital technologies. This intrigued me, as I was operating under the incorrect assumption that XML was basically a different version of HTML, with an identical goal. I’ve been reading and poking around at several different sites today, trying to expand my understanding of XLM, which lead me to research a bit on Javascript, which subsequently lead to inquiries on the differences between Java and Javascript, though I simply won’t go into all of that in this post. What follows is the starting point of what will surely be investigated further; this is my first foray into understanding XML.

XML is an abbreviation for EXtensible Markup Language.  XML was created for the purpose of describing data, whereas HTML was created for the visual component of data, to display it. Another difference is while HTML has preset tags, with assigned and defined functions, in XML, you create your own tags and assign function according to what you need. This feature makes XML “extensible” because the markup symbols are unlimited and self-defining, quite different than HTML. XML also allows for flexible format creation, enabling users to share the format and the data across the web. In About Technology, Jennifer Kyrnin points out a benefit to working with XML, which is the ability to transfer the XML documentation into other formats, such as HTML (http://webdesign.about.com/od/xml/a/aa060401a.htm). Look at the visual below to see how XML can be used as a format go-between. The following excerpt, from searchsoa.techtarget.com, written by Margaret Rouse, was particular enlightening to me on the functionality of XML. “Both XML and HTML contain markup symbols to describe the contents of a page or file. HTML, however, describes the content of a Web page (mainly text and graphic images) only in terms of how it is to be displayed and interacted with. For example, the letter “p” placed within markup tags starts a new paragraph. XML describes the content in terms of what data is being described. For example, the word “phonenum” placed within markup tags could indicate that the data that followed was a phone number. This means that an XML file can be processed purely as data by a program or it can be stored with similar data on another computer or, like an HTML file, that it can be displayed. For example, depending on how the application in the receiving computer wanted to handle the phone number, it could be stored, displayed, or dialed.”

It is important to note that XML doesn’t do anything, rather it carries information. With the focus on data in XML, it is unsurprising that it is commonly used for things such as medical information formatting, personal profiles, and online purchasing, to name a few; more generically, it is used for website creation, documentation, and database development. W3C describes XML as, a software- and hardware-independent tool for carrying information. This is just a beginning look and overview of the purposes of XML. I am looking forward to delving into the creation of XML, as well as the ways it works in conjunction with Javascript and HTML for the highest efficiency of information display and usage.

The Power of a Photo

Image 1: Xander, Lottie and the adoring Judah- beautiful fall day.

Image 2: Xander kissing Evie; Judah’s got his morning face, Xander, his morning hair.

Image 3: Charlotte being Charlotte.

Image 4: On vacation, the brothers being tough.

Image 5: The motley crew.

 

This is a photo collection of my nephews and nieces, an easy choice in photo essay subject material as they are showcased in over half of my photos. Living with them for a number of years, I bonded with them rather deeply. While deciding was difficult, I chose these five images for the sibling love and warmth they convey. These guys are buddies, protectors, role models and playmates. They are silly and fun, thoughtful and sweet. Life with them teaches me to enjoy the simple things, truly. A trip to the library unlocks new ideas, a walk through the woods is a grand exploration. The newness of their childhood perspective allows me to see everything fresh. I love being an aunt. I chose shots that unfold the story of who they are to me and to one another.

When communicating from a digital platform, photos provide a powerful tool to convey meaning and apply nuance to your message. The old adage, that a picture is worth a thousand words, can certainly provide an efficient means for conveying your sentiment or establishing a desired persona.

My photo essay features the sibling relationships between my nephews and nieces. They are Nicholas (19), Alexander (8), Judah (7), Charlotte (2), and Evelyn (9 months).

Image 1: The weather had just dropped and I pulled out their hats from storage. It was so colorful, I started snapping pictures. Lottie is thrilled because she loves a long walk outside, watching everything go by. The image captures her sense of motion, that even buckled into a stroller, this girl’s joie de vivre cannot be contained. Joy suffuses the shot. The color scheme, the sentimental tone of autumn, along with the way Xander leans in while Judah looks adoringly down at Charlotte, all generate a sense of warmth and love. Judah is very gentle by nature and it comes through in the shot.

Image 2: Tiny little Evelyn’s look of wonder as Xander is kissing her cheek…honestly, it’s just so sweet. They are so in love with her and this shot catches a little piece of it.

Image 3: We went on vacation to Michigan this summer and Lottie was a constant source of hilarious, the camp entertainer. She’s a complete nutter at times and I cannot get enough of her one-liners and bizarre faces. This picture was an easy choice because it captures her personality.

Image 4: This was before Evie was born. We were at a water park and the boys were keyed up to swim and play. I love the zany excitement this picture captures, though the picture quality isn’t the best. The wild faces, busy patterns and bright colors all reiterate a theme of exuberance.

Image 5: I chose this image in part for its irony. Christmas pictures can be tough. Trying to capture everyone smiling and natural is no small task, especially with five children. I love this image for its imperfection. For the fact that Judah isn’t looking at the camera, but still wearing a smirk. I love Nic’s patience, and remember how he just wanted to hold Evelyn all night. I love that Lottie is laughing because Xander is tickling her. A few frames before this shot, she was scowling away! It captures their personalities and preserves a memory.

Photo essays can be a powerful medium to tell a story, providing technical writers with an amazing communication tool. A well chosen image breaks up text and pulls readers in, helping them connect to the message in a greater way.

 

Screencasting

Hello fellow bloggers,

I am happy to finally have my Photoshop screencast tutorial uploaded! Drama reigned in this project; my advice is to use screencast-o-matic.com rather than Quicktime screencasting. The short version- my built in mic created reverb within Quicktime.

Photoshop as a writing platform unleashes creativity and expression. It’s formatting options are endless, giving the creator the ability to move in new directions and express themselves in fresh ways. My video tutorial covers the basics of Photoshop when building a website mockup. Given the size of the program and its vast capabilities, this tutorial hardly makes a dent in PS options. I thoroughly enjoy creating documents in PS and look forward to growing in my knowledge of the program. As this blog is for the purpose of exploring digital writing technologies, I want to point everyone to Lynda.com tutorials. I have found them to be most helpful and engaging. The videos have unlocked so many functions and shortcuts within PS for me. The tutorials on that site have been the most efficient means for growing my understanding for PS, Dreamweaver and other Adobe programs. Well worth the time!!!

Here’s my youtube tutorial.

Enjoy!

pln for the future

We recently created PLNs (Personal Learning Network) in the continued exploration of digital writing. I have to say, it’s a useful tool. Networking is vital in any career launch; with an emphasis in IT, social media and other digital platforms are a great way to expand your connections. I loved the visual/organizational aspect of Coggle, a PLN building site.

My PLN included personal branches of family and friends, acquaintances, work, NGOs, and my academic sphere. These connections, visually displayed, heightened my awareness of how to maximize the networks I have and highlighted possible means of building more and greater connections in the coming months. Social media provides such a light way to stay connected with people. Creating a PLN emphasized my desire to connect with people on Twitter, Blogs, FB, LinkedIn and more.

Click the link to view my PLN.

My PLN both encourages me regarding future job hunting and motivates me to continue to grow this network.

Choices, choices…

The web is a place of increasing choices, customization options, and an ever changing array of communication modes. It seems fitting, as I make a concerted effort to read more, process more, and absorb more material regarding digital communication, that I begin this blog as a place to sort my thoughts. This blog will serve as a digital footprint of my sojourn into deeper waters of digital communication and web design. Let me give an idea of the current state of my digital immersion. I’m a sporadic FB user at best. I’ve never sent a tweet into cyberspace or posted a picture on Instagram, though I’ve just opened accounts. LinkedIn is next! Aesthetics and beauty have always appealed to me. This, along with my enjoyment of writing, is the connection that lead me to pursue working in the field of digital communication.

Word Press.

So why word press? I looked at several different blogging platforms, my top picks including Tumblr, Blogger, and Svbtle. While there are several good platform to choose from, it was the process of elimination, considering my objectives and end goals, as well as relying upon reviews, that helped me choose Word Press.

Svbtle appealed to me in its design. It’s clean and modern, stark even. It puts the focus on the writing and certainly would be a great choice if a blog was heavy in word content, sparse in image or video. This format helped me decide against using Svbtle, as I know my blog will likely include plenty of links, images and some videos. I prefer a format that maximizes the aesthetics of the pictures and videos I may be posting.

Blogger is a popular option, and I considered it. In the end, it had less customization options than Word Press. Most significant to me, however, is the dated feel to Blogger templates…so I moved on.

Tumblr was my runner up. It has much to recommend itself, including ease of use from mobile devices. It has less customization options, and I’ve used Word Press before. This was the end decision for me.

It is likely that I will continue to play with this blog, possibility changing looks as I continue to learn. Regardless, I am looking forward to becoming more familiar with this platform behind the scenes and I am happy with my choice.