Research into multimedia design crosses the boundaries between artistic practice, dramatic performance and traditional research. In the applied arts like multimedia, research is about experimentation with design models that solve entertainment, learning and information delivery problems. The research results produced in the humanities are not just publications. Thus the research programs that the IRIS infrastructure supports include projects that are about artistic practice in the design and production of interactive multimedia works.

Often in the humanities the form of the research dissemination is closely tied to the character of the research. The medium constrains the message and makes possible new types of message. Likewise the act of curating a new media performance or show is a form of arts research. This facility will allow scholars and curators to experiment with new models for research writing and artistic authoring that do not have traditional publications as an end goal.