Online Video-Integrated Documentation (OVID)
Multimedia in concert with written documentation has been shown to increase users' understanding of the subject matter when such presentations are properly executed. To this end, we have developed OVID, online video-integrated documentation. OVID is compatible with the latest versions of all major browsers (i.e., Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Chrome).
Some might contend that multimedia is trendy and just window dressing. However, this is not what the experts tell us. Especially in the last ten years, research in cognitive psychology has proven the merits of multimedia as a learning tool. Effective multimedia does not simply consist of using many channels of media together. The most benefit is gained by combining media in a thoughtful way. This leverages the best of each medium and helps to extend the learning experience.
At the heart of OVID is the idea that video can serve as a vital compliment to task-based documentation and that the mode of consuming information is left to OVID users. Some users favor written documentation; others are more visually oriented; while still others may rely heavily on audio instruction. The inherent flexibility of OVID accommodates all of these types of information consumers and allows them to mix modes.
Video sequences remain intact and have not been chopped into pieces; rather, they has been segmented logically and correspond to the documentation topics or sections within topics. This fine-tuned approach, allows users to view only the relevant parts of the video, which correspond to the documentation.
A framework built on XML technologies and open standards such as MPEG-7 and SMIL are the main building blocks of OVID. As one of the services we offer, Wild Basin Media provides the technological "glue" that makes OVID work as an integrated system.
Digital camera video can augment technical documentation such as in this mountain bike maintenance demo. Screen capture video can be segmented, searched, and reused in the same way as digital camera video as demonstrated in this software user guide.
Highlights
- Authoring format agnostic.
- Authoring tool agnostic.
- Accommodates either digital camera video, screen-captured video or both.
- Compatible with all major browsers.
- Improved multimedia search and retrieval methods.
- Works with or without a CMS or LMS.
- Reusable video segments drive down production costs.
- Plays entire video or only relevant video segments.
- Searches both text and video.
- Standards based.
