Introduction to ImageInterviewer

ImageInterviewer is an application for elicitation of Images, like photographs, diagrams, etc. ImageInterviewer helps to maintain collections of Images by grouping them into Projects. The user can record multiple audio commentaries (Interviews) for each Image. During recording process the mouse can be used to help describe the parts of the Image. ImageInterviewer can replay the audio Interview and it will show the mouse movements and clicks synchronously. ImageInterviewer helps to exchange the collections of Images together with the associated Interviews by bundling the projects as ZIP-compressed files.

Getting started

Hardware requirements

ImageInterviewer needs a microphone and loud speakers to be connected to the computer.

Software requirements

For ImageInterviewer to operate smoothly, it needs a Java Runtime Environment version 1.4 or newer, and a QuickTime Java library. The application has been tested to work correctly with QuickTime 7 on JRE 1.4.2 on Windows XP.

Let's start!

It is a really simple process. There are three simple steps to follow:

Create a Project

To create a Project, select the Project | New Project menu:

A dialogue box will pop up, prompting you for the Project Name and Location. The actual view of the dialogue depends on your operating system. On Windows XP operating system it looks like shown below.

You can edit the prompted values, but for now let's accept the values by clicking OK button. You will be able to rename the Project later. When the dialog closes you will see the Project folder appear in the tree panel on the left.

Now you can start adding Images to the Project.

Add an Image

To add an Image, you need to select the Project in the tree on the left. This will enable the Image menu. Select Image | Add New Image(s) menu.

This will cause a Add New Image dialog to pop up.

The dialog will let you find and select an Image on your computer. You can specify the name under which the Image will apear in the Project, or you can omit it for now. You will be able to rename the Image after it has been added to the Project. Find and select the Image on your computer, and click "OK" button. The dialog will disappear, and the new Image will be added to the Project. You can see it when you open the Project folder by double-clicking on it or clicking the icon.

Now you can start recording Interviews about the image.

Record an Interview

To record an Interview you need to select the Image which the Interview is going to explain. Expand the tree of Projects so that the Image is visible in the list. Select the Image. It will be displayed on the right hand side panel.

At the same time the Interview | Record Interview menu will be enabled and the Record button will be enabled at the bottom of the Image. At this stage you need to decide whether the Image is being displayed at the right scale. You can make the Image bigger by making more space available for it. You can maximize the ImageInterviewer window to fit full screen. You can also drag the margin between the tree of Projects on the left and the panel with the Image on the right. To do that, position the mouse cursor right over the margin. When the mouse cursor changes its shape to a resize cursor, press the mouse button and move the mouse to the left without releasing the button. This will make the tree of Projects narrower, or can even make it invisible, thus releasing more space for the Image. The Image will scale to fit all available space.

After recording finished you can move the margin separating the tree and the Image back. To start recording, select Interview | Record Interview or press Record button. A splash screen will appear and will remain on the screen for a few seconds while the audio hardware is being prepared, and giving you some time to get ready to talk. Notice that the label on the Record button changes to Stop. Likewise the menu Interview | Record Interview changes to Stop Recording. You can use either of these controls to finish recording.

As soon as the splash screen disappears you can start talking and make the mouse movements and clicks which will be recorded. To stop recording, click the Stop button or select Interview | Stop Recording menu. It may take a few seconds for the audio hardware to stop recording. The Interview will appear in the tree under the selected Image. To see it you may need to expand the node by clicking on the icon. The Interview will have a predefined name, "New Interview", but you can rename it.

Now you are ready to play the recorded Interview.

Play an Interview

To play an Interview you need to select one. Expand the necessary Project folder and Image by clicking the icons and select the Interview. Doing so will load the Image onto the right hand side panel, and the player buttons will be enabled (whilst the Record button will be disabled). Relevant menu items under the Interview menu will also be enabled. To play the Interview, click the Play button or select Interview | Play Interview menu. The recorded sound will start to be played back instantly. Synchronously the mouse movements and clicks will be displayed. The red circle represents the movements of the mouse cursor at the time of recording the Interview, the red squares represent the mouse clicks.

Notice that the Play button changes its caption to Stop. Likewise the Play Interview menu item is renamed to Stop Playback. To pause playback, click Stop button, or select Interview | Stop Playback menu. To continue playback, click Play button, or select Interview | Play Interview menu.

Seeking through the Interview

When the Interview is selected, it is possible to seek the position from which to play back. Use the button to jump to the beginning of the Interview from the current playback position. Use the to jump to the end of the Interview from the current playback position. Use the to start playing the Interview backwards. Notice that the mouse movements are being rewound synchronously, which can help you identify the place in the Interview from which to continue playing. When you found the right place, click Play button to continue playback from that position. Use the to start playing the Interview forwards at double the normal speed. The mouse movements will speed up, too. When you found the right place, click Play button to continue playback from that position.

Play an Interview

To play an Interview you need to select one. Expand the necessary Project folder and Image by clicking the icons and select the Interview. Doing so will load the Image onto the right hand side panel, and the player buttons will be enabled (whilst the Record button will be disabled). Relevant menu items under the Interview menu will also be enabled. To play the Interview, click the Play button or select Interview | Play Interview menu. The recorded sound will start to be played back instantly. Synchronously the mouse movements and clicks will be displayed. The red circle represents the movements of the mouse cursor at the time of recording the Interview, the red squares represent the mouse clicks.

Notice that the Play button changes its caption to Stop. Likewise the Play Interview menu item is renamed to Stop Playback. To pause playback, click Stop button, or select Interview | Stop Playback menu. To continue playback, click Play button, or select Interview | Play Interview menu.

Seeking through the Interview

When the Interview is selected, it is possible to seek the position from which to play back. Use the button to jump to the beginning of the Interview from the current playback position. Use the to jump to the end of the Interview from the current playback position. Use the to start playing the Interview backwards. Notice that the mouse movements are being rewound synchronously, which can help you identify the place in the Interview from which to continue playing. When you found the right place, click Play button to continue playback from that position. Use the to start playing the Interview forwards at double the normal speed. The mouse movements will speed up, too. When you found the right place, click Play button to continue playback from that position.