What is VIEW?

When we talk about multimedia you might think: the internet, sound, video. These elements alone provide interesting stimuli for young people - but VIEW goes far beyond that. It unifies a whole range of multimedia technology, including video, sound and internet components, by adding another dimension.

On first setting out developing VIEW, we didn't want to create just another linear resource that re-packaged book style material onto a PC. Instead we wanted to create a genuinely innovative tool that could inspire a young person and enable them to interact with educational material in a more powerful way. In essence, we wanted to introduce the element of exploration.

We believe exploration is critical in encouraging individual learning styles, problem solving and enquiry skills.

-- Chris Monk, Managing Director, FutureVu.


VIEW is an ICT based application that provides a young person with access to the workplace. It is designed as an accessibility tool and therefore needs the support of good planning and teacher involvement in the same way as any real visit to a workplace.

Above: Screenshots from VIEW Retail.

VIEW provides a means to:

• Move around the workplace through a network of 360 degree panoramic images,
• Examine evidence as images, image series, documents, audio interviews and short videos,
• Act as a portal to relevant material online.

Each VIEW is made up of a series of ‘nodes’ at strategic points around the workplace. Each node is a 360° panoramic image or rotary and they are joined so that the student can move from node to node. Most VIEWs will have more than 40 connected nodes through which the student can tour the workplace and view the surrounding scene at all of the nodes available.

You can see some examples of our 360° imaging amongst a range of other sample content here:


As the student looks around, through a rotary image, they may find hot spots which, when clicked, will allow them to:

• Look more closely at an image,
• Look at a series of images that represent a process,
• Look closely at a document, diagram, poster etc,
• Interview an employee and listen to audio responses,
• Watch short pieces of video.

The rotary images and all other evidence are accompanied by a narrative offering further information, guidance and some research data.

A map helps the student work out their relative position in the workplace.

Some points in the tour have web references and if the student’s PC is connected to the web, their browser will link to the website described.

The VIEW application should not be rushed. Like a real visit it requires the student to plan their exploration, looking around them carefully, noting details and building their own ‘map’ to help them locate materials easily, again and again.

There are some clues to help students locate evidence but in many cases the young person must explore and find material themselves. This develops enquiry and problem solving skills which will help them when they visit a real workplace. Evidence is located where it is really found and not in ‘topics’ like chapters in a book. VIEW is a real look at a real working environment with all the strengths and weaknesses you would find if you visited that place for real!

VIEW applications

VIEW is being used to make a wide range of employer’s workplaces accessible including:

• BAA (Gatwick Airport)*
• Eli Lilly (Pharmaceutical Development)*
• Ford (Southampton Transit assembly plant)*
• MCA Coastguard (Dover Coastguard Station)*
• Costain (Road construction)*
• NHS (Stoke Mandeville Hospital)*
• House of Fraser (Oxford Street Store)**
• Woking Town Centre (Surrey)
• NHS (Addenbrooke’s Hospital)*
• 6 small businesses in the Marine Sector (Cowes Marine Cluster)*

Please check our company website for the most up to date information on recent software releases and developments. We are constantly releasing new VIEW applications and material to support existing software, so check back regularly. Pricing and ordering information can also be found there:
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The applications can support the requirements of the Applied GCSEs, Work Related Learning, Work Experience, Enterprise, Citizenship and more.

Each VIEW application is delivered on a CD and can operate on a stand alone PC or across a network. Site licences are available.

* The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA – www.seeda.co.uk) has funded a single user copy of these CD based VIEW applications into all secondary schools in the south east region.

** The Sector Skills Council for Retail (Skillsmart – www.skillsmartretail.com) has funded a single user copy of this CD based VIEW application into every secondary school in the UK.