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In the context of Autoparts, a multinational manufacturer for automotive electronics, Lotus Notes was employed to create an e-learning system. This system was titled “Using Notes for Case-based Learning Environments” (UNCLE). The UNCLE project attempted to encapsulate knowledge and understanding of those organizational factors that might influence e-learning development and implementation in a corporate context. Based on the findings of this study, and our reflections on these findings, we define that an e-learning system consists of four critical components: (1) corporate learners with certain prerequisites (people) to carry out (2) learning tasks (process) using (3) e-learning technology (technology) in an (4) organizational context (organization). This study further suggested that e-learning is a sociotechnical change process like any technology adoptions, and proposed a systemic framework for exploring and making the most of various sociotechnical factors. Further studies are suggested to investigate the interrelationships among these four components and various sociotechnical factors.

We identify literature that argues the process of creating knowledge-based system is often imbalanced. In most knowledge-based systems, development is often technology-driven instead of requirement-driven. Therefore, we argue designers must recognize that evaluation is a critical link in the application of requirement-driven development models because it provides the information that keeps the iterative developmental process on track. In this study we took a closer look at the decision-making in the design of a complex performance system in a non-profit organization. The purpose was to gain insights into the roles and functions of evaluation during the process of building a performance support system. This study adopted an exploratory case study as its inquiry method. Findings suggested that effective communication is as important a function to evaluation as is decision-making, and that the implementation of evaluation seldom follows the textbook guidelines. That is, evaluation practice is a patchwork history of the designers' knowledge and experience. Further, neither complexity nor the informality of the evaluation protocols seems to influence the quality of decision-making.

Knowledge management (KM) in the U.S. Navy is championed as a strategic initiative to improve shipboard maintenance and troubleshooting at a distance. The approach requires capturing, coordinating, and distributing domain expertise in electronics and computer engineering via advanced information and communication technologies. Coordination must be achieved to ensure ship readiness. A potential challenge for human performance technologists is to develop robust theoretical frameworks to analyze and explain existing practice within this context. To illustrate, we present the case of U.S. naval sailors and civilian subject-matter experts (SMEs) collaboratively troubleshooting complex shipboard radar systems across ship and shore. Adapting perspectives from organizational theory, information science, and educational psychology, we conduct a multi-level analysis of the context of distributed knowledge and work. Findings suggest that regulative and normative restrictions, boundary spanners and objects, and disruption of coordination across system components influence practice substantively. Implications for research and practice, including a readdressing of the existing cannon of analytical frameworks are offered.

While there is a great demand to share training programs globally, there are few methodologies to implement effective instructional development processes in multicultural organizations. Based on lessons learned from a Fortune 500 company, this article presents an instructional development model for global organizations. Three main gaps are identified in a practice of instructional design (ID) model for international settings: language, culture, and needs gaps at local sites. In order to solve these problems, the proposed model includes a decentralized process and collaborative efforts between the originating site and local sites. The virtues of the proposed model are just-in-time training, flexibility, and adequateness. The current situations in global organizations are ill-structured and require the sharing of multiple perspectives through collaboration in order to accomplish social consensus. The characteristics in the presently proposed model are that a) there is limited predetermined content, b) there is a sharing of multiple perspectives, c) there is needs negotiation, and d) learning is occurring within a context.

Dynamic Online Performance Support Systems (DOPSS) are a new class of intervention that can meet the needs of a quickly changing work force in an information age environment. These systems are customized for the target population, with unique meta tags, unique function sets, and dynamic growth for and by users in use. These unique tag sets allow users to quickly and easily add resources to the system, so it is an intervention that grows and evolves based on continued use and input by users. This paper reports on a case study examining the design of a unique function set for military aircraft maintenance technicians. A new method to guide data collection and analysis is used. The USE method (User-centric + Sen-semaking + Evolving) is applied, with Schwen's (2001) knowledge model supporting the user-centric collection and analysis of data. The result of this new perspective allows the input and analysis of needs on micro, meso, and macro levels, identifying needs that may cross boundaries of traditional interventions.

Since the 1980s metaphors have been used to design computer interfaces in order to facilitate user learning. As computer systems become more complex, the issue of using a large number of metaphors of narrow scope to design interfaces has arisen. Several researchers have proposed the use of multiple metaphors in the design of computer systems. This study set out to compare the effects of structural cues derived from single versus multiple metaphors used in designing hypertext systems. A total of 54 undergraduate students were asked to perform selected information search tasks. The results show that the provision of metaphorical cues helped subjects to find a greater number of accurate answers in a shorter period of time. The more complete mapping between the base and target domains in the design of the interface, along with cues from multiple metaphors, may have helped subjects to develop more sophisticated representations of the hypertext structure.

The following case study has been severely edited due to space constraints. An effort was made to maintain the flavor of the case study, to ensure the results are presented and to mention the statistical procedures used. A complete report of the project is available from the authors. JBJ

If one is satisfied with present performance, development can legitimately be dismissed as unnecessary. On the other hand, if qualitative improvement is an objective, concern with development is by definition imperative. Both internal and external pressure places education in the second category (Schutz, 1970). The process of development may be regarded as an activity involving "the systematic use of scientific knowledge directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems or methods, including design and development of prototypes and processes" (National Science Foundation, 1965). Ins t ruct ional development is that same activity when it results in useful instructional materials, devices, systems, methods, prototypes, and processes. Specifically, instructional development is concerned with the design, validation, revision, dissemination, installation, operation, and evaluation of instructional products or systems. In all its phases, development is a decision process. From the total population of components which potentially comprise the ideal learning environment for a given learner and learning task, the developer makes his selections, testing them with actual learners. He performs a similar task with a multitudinous set of potential dissemination mechanisms, and with a set of plausible evaluation instruments, and so on

DEFINITION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LEARNER ANALYSIS FUNCTION There are many structures or schemata that could be used to describe a complex phenomenon such as instructional development. In any description of instructional development there would necessarily be some misrepresentation of the reality. But in an adolescent profession, discrepancies in definition may be viewed as positive attributes (Davies & Schwen, 1972). The resulting professional controversies may create an environment for increased understanding and improved practice. It is in this spirit that the following perspective is offered.