Electronic performance support systems are becoming a significant software resource in many corporate organisations due to their potential to improve human performance while decreasing the time required for users to obtain information or instruction. While these software tools are extremely powerful, they must include highly effective individual components and a powerful, yet intuitive, human-computer interface. The present article summarises and reviews instructional design issues for these increasingly popular software tools and provides suggestions for developing an effective electronic performance support system for a given organisational setting.
IntroductionDuring the past decade, electronic performance support systems (EPSSs) have shown significant potential for the improvement of employee performance in both educational and corporate settings. Defined by Gery (1989) as integrated electronic environments which provide individualised on-line access to software, guidance, advice, data, tools, and assessment with minimum support and intervention by others, these systems are currently able to provide significant assistance to professionals working in a wide variety of employment settings. In fact, with the increasing prevalence of personal computers on employee desktops, such systems may soon begin to alter significantly the manner in which employees generally function and are trained.