Interactive
Web Sites

An Interactive Web Site can be used to leave a lasting impression on a visitor by introducing them to an interactive environment, which they can explore and learn in an intuitive and unique way. Most often developed using Macromedia Flash or Director, Interactive Web Sites enable the visitor to experience a number of media, including: text, graphics, sound, animation, 3D and video in an impressive display.

What can an Interactive Web Site offer?
- Impress potential clients/customers with an attractive Multimedia Web Site to explore
- An interesting Interactive Web Site is far more likely to keep a visitor coming back, and tell others about
- Use text, graphics, sound and animation to demonstrate the process or product you are offering
- Use special effects to get your message across

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A Static Web Site is such that is unchangeable by the visitor and has no data retrieval facilities. It is purely a representation or presence of a company or individual on the Internet. Such sites offer the visitor the chance to see exactly what is on offer and how to get it. Dynamic Web Sites allow the user to request data from the company or individual and have this data represented in front of them in an easy to read fashion. Such data might include inventory, stocks or catalogues.

What can a Static Web Site offer?
- Give you or your company/organisation an online internet presence
- Provide potential clients/customers with detailed information about what you do
- Advertise your expertise, experience, facilities and/or capabilities
- Broaden your client/customer catchment area (to national and international)
- Inform visitors about where you are located and how you may be contacted

What can a Dynamic Web Site offer?
- As well as incorporating all of the advantages of a Static Web Site, Dynamic Web Sites offer…
- Databases accessible through your Web pages
- Visitors can filter out the information in your database to find what they are looking for (i.e. products)
- Let visitors store their details/preferences on your databases so they can find what interests them quicker on their next visit

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Animation is a technique whereby text and graphics may be used to get across an idea, proposal, explanation or illustration of any conceivable thought that a company or individual may need to transmit to their audience. It is a key element in Interactive Web Sites and CD-ROMs, but can be developed for any visual medium.

What can an Animation offer?- Animated demonstrations of, for example, an event, process or product, can straighten up a great deal of questions or misunderstandings clients or customers may have, in a clear and concise way- People are far happier to watch a description than read a long-winded one- Other uses of animations you may consider are screensavers for your office computers, in-store presentation shows and instruction aids

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Interactive CD-ROMs offer a platform for any number of opportunities. From Promotion to Catalogues, the Interactive CD-ROM is capable of supporting media such as Interactive Web Sites developed in Flash and Shockwave do. However it does so without the drag of having to compress data (therefore lower quality) for download purposes. This solution, therefore, extends high quality graphics, animation, sound, 3D and video into a very common distributive form, the compact disk.

What can an Interactive CD-ROM offer?
- Sell you or your company's services to potential clients/customers using a promotional CD-ROM
- Distribute to potential clients/customers who are looking at you and your competitors
- Offer to new clients/customers to help them get the most out of your services
- If you have products to sell, offer your customers a catalogue CD-ROM showcasing these products in detail
- Use a single Interactive CD-ROM on-site so that people can come in and see what you have to offer at their leisure
- And practically anything else you can think of!

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A well designed Flash or Shockwave game can be a major attraction to a web site, or a commercial product on a CD-ROM or Web Site. Whether they are a source of fun for visitors to your website or a method to promote you or your company's services or products, games can leave a lasting impact on visitors. The use of games on Web Sites or CD-ROMs should not be underestimated since they will often attract visitors / users back, if not to play the game again, to find out more about what's on offer.

What can a Game offer?
- A game can be designed to help teach a user how to use something or what something is used for, hence the term "edutainment"
- Quiz games can be created to
encourage learning about a given topic
- Fun & Games sections on Web Sites or CD-ROMs can provide a major pull factor for potential visitors/users
- Games for commercial gain

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