Many pharmaceutical websites have taken to using video to advocate for their products (that is, a physician or someone representing a physician talking about the product). And unfortunately, many of these do NOT include alternative methods of giving the users the same content. Using voice (and video) to convey information isn't a bad idea, per se, but there has to be accommodations made for those who can't hear the audio track.
We've been working to make sure that our designs DO include one or both of two methods to provide the content in an alternate form - either via a downloadable transcript (usually the case on already created content) or through on-screen closed captioning. We've even gone as far as connecting the closed captioning to the sound control - turn off the volume and the closed captioning appears automatically. One note about video and audio - don't have the audio/video begin automatically: 1) It's annoying for those who already have audio happening (through an iPod or similar player) 2) If someone has their speakers on, there will be sudden audio - and it might not be something they want the world to hear (or their audio might be turned up and they don't realize it). 3) Those who can't hear may not have any cue that there is content being explained if there is no visual cue to that fact. Thus, a "start video" or "Hear explanation" prompt will show that there is content to be heard/seen and they can make accommodations. Marty DeAngelo Senior Information Architect DigitasHealth ----- Original Message ----- From: Vicky Teinaki <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hi all, I'm working on a web project where the client is sold on using voice on the site i.e. having narration for explanations. ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
