Outlines procedures involved in the formative evaluation of training materials in a draft stage before they are produced in their final form. The project manager's role is described, guidelines for conducting the tests and determining revisions are given, and worksheets to use in the process are provided. (LRW)

Provides six rules for an instructional technologist (IT) to follow when meeting with a subject matter expert (SME) to aid in starting the meeting, asking the right questions, and keeping the meeting on track. (CHC)

Argues that instructional development (ID) faculty in higher education settings should use a systematic approach grounded in ID principles to present the case for filling vacant positions in their field and provides guidelines for using message design techniques to develop a file to support the case. Eight references are listed. (MER)

Raises critical management issues and proposes guidelines for technical management of large-scale development of courseware with complex content. Discussion covers the technical management of such a project as it relates to organizational structure; leadership shifts throughout the design process; prototype development; and the systematic process…

The first of two articles designed to provide guidelines for the instructional development phase of instructional systems development focuses on general instructional methods supporting all instructional tasks. Teaching methods that support selective attention, processing in working memory, and connecting in long-term memory are described and…

This discussion of formative evaluation as part of the instructional design process focuses on developmental testing and expert review. A review of the literature helps define each approach, research on formative evaluation is reviewed, and 37 references are provided. (LRW)

This article presents guidelines designed to assist instructional developers in improving their performance in workload estimates for prospective training development projects. Also provided is a description of an instructional systems development model for estimating, which includes front end analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation. (LRW)

Challenges the tendency of instructional developers to dwell upon systematic processes of Instructional Development (ID) and argues that ID is more an art in which the end results must be worthwhile, relevant, and capable of justification. Sixteen references are listed. (MER)

A technique that consultants may use to help their clients define, value, and assess goals, the card sort may be used to establish goals for systematic designs addressing instructional, individual, or organizational problems. Examples illustrate its use and three references are listed. (Author/CHC)

Describes steps involved in preparing hierarchical charts for use in performance and instructional technologies. Thirteen examples are shown that deal with systematic instructional development, and guidelines for choosing the appropriate format are discussed, including content, audience, and resources. Evaluation procedures involving paired…

Describes the production of master instructional materials as one step in a project management model for instructional development. Maintaining a balance between instructional integrity and production values is discussed; the manager's role is described; and guidelines for involving subject matter experts and the sponsors in production are…

This checklist provides guidelines for designing computer screen displays and evaluating those designed by others. The checklist covers three important aspects of designing a computer screen display: how the screen looks, how the screen interacts with users, and evaluating the screen. (MBR)

Examines an instructional systems design (ISD) model used by Bell Laboratories as an illustration of how heuristics can be brought to bear upon the design and development of instructional materials. Ten references are listed. (Author/MER)

Arguing that good screen design is an important part of good instructional design for computer-based training, this article describes how to design screens to facilitate learning and provide for appropriate student-computer interaction. Topics discussed include general text and graphics design, screen layout, use of color, and effective design for…