AF106 Interactive Design

I am in the process of writing the Museum Guide Proposal, which seems to have come rather suddenly in the project timetable; however, this has forced me to develop ideas quickly. I've thought about different kinds of interactive media and looked into the design processes and considerations which need to be taken into account with this kind of project.
I was initially worried about the amount of obligatory design specifications in the brief (text size and background, for example), but I realise it is possible to adhere to these standards and also create something individual and attention-grabbing. I have selected the theme of "Bathing" as I think this is an important and idiosyncratic part of Brighton's history, and the photographs relating to this topic will clearly show a progression of My favourite layout concept so far is of a beachfront-themed homepage, with buttons shaped like Brighton's celebrated beach huts. Each beach hut is labelled with a particular 20-year period, and when selected, is enlarged and opens its doors to reveal corresponding photographs. I have made some sketches but I am currently creating some look and feels on Photoshop to assess these desin decisions.

Intellectual Property

(http://static.seekingalpha.com/wp-content/seekingalpha/images/invention.jpg)

The issues surrounding the concept of Intellectual Property are currently multiplying as more and more artists and designers make their mark on the internet. Of course these are only further complicated when we take into account debates over originality etc., but I think few people would argue against the idea that the creator of an artistic artefact (e.g. a design, musical composition, poem) should be entitled to some degree of control over the way their works are used by others. As a result, there exists a complex set of laws regarding Intellectual Property, in theory designed to protect the artist.

As a brief search on the internet will show, there are many companies offering various types of Intellectual Property protection and licensing in exchange for membership or other fees, the four main types being:
1. Patents (protecting the technical and functional aspects of products and processes)
2. Trademarks (protecting signs that can distinguish the goods and services of one trader from another)
3. Designs (protecting the visual appearance or eye appeal of products)
4. Copyright (protecting material such as literature, art, music, sound recordings, films and broadcasts). (source: www.ipo.gov.uk/whatis.htm)

Artists and designers would most frequently be concerned with the last two types of IP protection, particularly Copyright. Interestingly, copyright does not protect IDEAS (e.g. for a future piece of work) unless they have been recorded in a permanent form. According to the website www.dacs.org.uk, no formal registration is necessarily required to obtain copyright protection in the UK (original works are automatically under protection), but they suggest "it is still good practice to keep records and evidence of the artistic works you have created a well as marking your work with the international (c) symbol followed by your name and the year of publication or creation". This ensures that anyone wanting to use your work will be aware that you have claimed copyright protection over it, and will hopefully obtain permission before doing so.

Of course, the problem is that artworks (or a portion of them) are often appropriated without the consent of the creator: this is known as copyright infringement. As we all know, the copyright owner can take the infringer to court and may be awarded damages and/or an injunction to stop the infringer using the work. However, this is often very costly and the issue is more frequently resolved out of court. At the same time, either of these options is time-consuming and many artists choose to 'assign' or 'licence' their work instead. Assigning copyright means selling your work completely (it is out of your hands and therefore your control). By licensing your work, you grant permission for someone to use it in a specific way for a specific purpose, which means the artist retains more control. As designers it is important to be aware of these laws, however dull or complicated they may seem at the present moment. It is much more difficult to take action against someone's theft of your work than to take precautions to ensure it doesn't happen in the first place.