Guidelines represent an important instrument in the development of Web-based Training (WBT). They help to create reliable, portable, and interoperable standardized WBTs of high-quality. The development of guidelines can be considered as a key success factor regarding the effectiveness of WBTs. The effects of guidelines can be both favorable and restrictive. Guidelines that are too rigid and strict could have counterproductive effects. This article discusses the potential and restrictions of WBT guidelines, supplies a description framework for WBTs and illustrates its realization on the basis of a case example. It can thus be of assistance in the project-specific development of guidelines. (Author/AEF)