OVERVIEW

For the purposes of this part of the book, we are going to assume that your goal is to create an interactive product that you are going to sell.

We have briefly overviewed the categories of interactive products that exist. They are gaming and entertainment, information, commerce, and distance learning. The products can be delivered on the Internet, via CD-ROM, or on DVD, and eventually they will be delivered by entirely new presentation systems such as handheld devices, interactive television, and location base experiences.

Surprisingly enough, the method for creating the product and starting the business to launch the product are remarkably similar for most interactive businesses. So this chapter will serve as a brief overview for all you would-be entrepreneurs, as well as an organizer for those of you who are new to these processes and may not realize all that is involved.

The process of creating and launching an interactive product generally follows these steps:

1. Concept development

2. Funds acquisition

3. Product design

4. Interface design

5. Design documentation

6. Prototyping

7. Product production

8. Product launch

9. Product maintenance

10. Product updating

This is absolutely not a primer on funds acquisition. If you are a creative development type, the best answer to that need is find someone who knows how. Or to buy a different book. However, since part of the funds acquisition step is being able to present the product concept to potential investors, clients, or sponsors in the strongest possible way, we do need to address the development of...