Interactive is just another broad term that doesn't mean much without further detail. It can be condensed to mean changing one factor and seeing the effects that has on other factors. Saying something is "interactive" is like saying someone is "special."
Len Manovich puts it best in his "The Myth of Interactivity" when he breaks down interactivity into different kinds of "structures and operations." To me, there are many levels of interaction in varying forms, but I'll focus on new media on the internet. Interaction can be as simple as clicking a link to another page or as complex as building your very own page. But not all interactivity is created equal.
Anyone can hyperlink in order to have people "interact" but is it what users want? Just because there's a link somewhere doesn't mean that it's an effective use of interactivity. If there's a story that has a long and detailed history then an interactive timeline would allow readers to customize there own viewing experience. Google offers anyone to personalize their own homepage with iGoogle where users can drag, drop, and organize anyway they wish at any time. But it doesn't have to be complicated; even just having links to photos or videos for reference would suffice as interactivity if used coorrectly.
Interaction is really about the individual user experience. If there isn't any consideration as to what method of interaction is best then there's a disconnect between the audience and what is being portrayed. The whole point is to get the user actively engaged and actually want to interact. Interaction without will isn't worth interacting with.
Very well put, Stephen. I think that you're right to highlight the importance of the user when defining interactivity. Certainly during the creative process, the Barbarian Group must weigh the importance of the viewer as well as the client. I think you're also right to say that not all interactivity is created equal: this is evident in the ads we watched. Just because "Waking Up Hannah" exercises interactivity doesn't mean it uses interactivity to its highest potential. Although, I don't know what its highest potential would be. It'll be interesting to keep up with interactive ads to see if they make an important strides in the near future.
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