Biotechnology Learning Hub launch

Biotech launch - screen 1

Website: not online - view screenshots

Size: 7 pages

My professional status: contractor at CWA New Media

Website client: CWA New Media

Dates: March 2005

Categories: Client liaison, Project manager, Website designer, Front-end developer, Content-loader, Old-school table layout, Flash, Small sites

Brief: to design and build a Flash animation to be used by CWA's Managing Director during the launch ceremony for the CWA Biotech Learning Hub. To update the CWA Learning Landscape websites (online and offline versions) and incorporate links to the Flash animation, and to also link the animation from an updated Flash version of the Learning Landscape website. Learning Landscape provided examples of CWA's work and was used by the MD during presentations.

My responsibilities included:

  • Design in Photoshop of the five screens of the presentation
  • Creation of an interactive Flash animation based on this design
  • Overseeing the work of another Flash animator who created the "ribbon-cutting" screen for the presentation
  • Incorporating high-quality QuickTime movies into the Flash presentation
  • Updating the online Learning Landscape website (HTML and graphics) and creating an offline version for use when presentations were required without an internet connection
  • Linking the Flash presentation to the Learning Landscape sites
  • Linking the Flash presentation to a Flash version of Learning Landscape which I had also updated
  • Recreating the 5 biotech icons (which were originally tiny, and some of which had been designed in Photoshop for web only) so that they could be printed onto giant banners for the launch ceremony
  • Liaising with the MD to ensure that his presentation went smoothly, and that he knew how to run the various elements within it
  • Ensuring that the presentation was completed within a very tight timeframe (3 days) and fully tested before delivery.

An interesting challenge because of the tight timeframe and the amount of "stuff" the Managing Director wanted to include, as well as the fact that the three elements (Flash animation, Learning Landscape website and Learning Landscape Flash presentation) had to be linked seamlessly to each other. I found out that it's not possible to launch the QuickTime player from within a Flash animation. Hmmmm. How annoying.