Multimedia specialist: Job description

Multimedia specialists combine design and technical knowledge to create information and communication technology (ICT) based products that entertain, educate or inform the user.

These include:

• CD-ROMs;
• DVDs;
• websites.

Typical outputs include:

• entertainment products, such as computer games;
• education and training materials;
• advertising and marketing materials;
• catalogue databases and public information resources.

When the design is complete, multimedia specialists use authoring software to arrange the files in a single program (to enable interactivity and navigation through the product content). They also test and adjust the product to fix any technical problems, and produce documentation describing the creation, content and processes of files.

Typical work activities

Multimedia projects involve a number of tasks that deliver a mix of media and have a computer component to integrate them.

Software development projects bring together media elements into an application to run on a delivery platform which can support a combination of text, sound and images of all kinds. The platform can also control software within a single digital information environment, and covers both on and offline project management and production and make up the majority of multimedia projects.

Hardware-oriented projects focus on, for example, specifying, introducing and integrating a delivery platform such as video-conferencing with a bespoke user front end for an organisation.

Tasks generally include:

• meeting with clients to establish their expectations and needs;
• advising clients on what is technically possible and producing a proposal including, for example, the range and scope of the work and realistic timescales and costs;
• assembling a development team and keeping them updated on the project;
• working-up design ideas using computer-based design packages;
• collaborating with other specialists, writers, animators, artists, sound engineers and programmers;
• liaising with account managers and technical staff on behalf of the client and, where applicable, ensuring clearance and copyright;
• authoring files into a single program;
• testing and adjusting final programs;
• producing finished design work and presenting final designs to clients;
• observing company policy in terms of producing and archiving product documentation as well as any reports and recommendations;
• gaining final sign-off from the client;
• agreeing on the upgrading of the product or website with the client.

In designing products, multimedia specialists use a variety of tools. Industry-standard computer design packages include Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop, Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid audio production software, Adobe Director, Adobe Flash and Flash 3D Animator, and Adobe Dreamweaver. Using these and other computer packages they are able to incorporate the work of other specialists, including writers, artists, animators, film-makers and video producers, programmers and sound engineers, in the final product.

Depending on the complexity of the product, the authoring of files into a single program may be done by an assistant using hypertext mark up language (HTML) or by a software programmer using 'object oriented' programming languages such as Java or C++.