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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Collaborating with human factors when designing an electronic textbook

Conference ·
OSTI ID:216305

The development of on-line engineering textbooks presents new challenges to authors to effectively integrate text and tools in an electronic environment. By incorporating human factors principles of interface design and cognitive psychology early in the design process, a team at Sandia National Laboratories was able to make the end product more usable and shorten the prototyping and editing phases. A critical issue was simultaneous development of paper and on-line versions of the textbook. In addition, interface consistency presented difficulties with distinct goals and limitations for each media. Many of these problems were resolved swiftly with human factors input using templates, style guides and iterative usability testing of both paper and on-line versions. Writing style continuity was also problematic with numerous authors contributing to the text.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
216305
Report Number(s):
SAND--96-0952C; CONF-9603147--1; ON: DE96009173
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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