IMArchive defines interactive media as “content which responds to, or is particularly enhanced by, user input” and participatory media as “content which audience members have played a role in developing or altering”. For the sake of simplifying overlap, IMArchive groups these two under the umbrella term ‘intmedia’.

It is very difficult to classify exactly what does and does not qualify as intmedia, as there have been so many works throughout history that have included elements of interactivity/participation in them. Below is a working taxonomy of the different types and forms of intmedia: