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Director, The Center for Information-Development Management
http://www.infomanagementcenter.com
In the Summer 2001 issue of Performance In
Practice (an ASTD newsletter), Byron Hambly
reports that the aerospace industry is developing
technical documentation and training materials for
handheld devices (Personal Digital Assistants or
PDAs). They are called Interactive Electronic
Technical Manuals (IETMs) and use Web pages,
graphics, sound, and animation to provide detailed
information for maintaining and operating
aircraft. They are automatically synchronized,
which means that the information remains up-to-
date.
An IETM, as defined in the DoD IETM
Specifications, is a package of information
required for the diagnosis and maintenance of a
weapons system, optimally arranged and formatted
for interactive screen presentation to the end-
user. It is a Technical Manual prepared (i.e.,
authored) by a contractor and delivered to the
government or prepared by a government activity,
in digital form on a suitable medium, by means of
an automated authoring system. An IETM is designed
for electronic screen display to an end-user and
has the following three characteristics:
- The information is designed and formatted for
screen presentation to enhance comprehension.
- The elements of technical data making up the
technical manual are interrelated. A user's
access to required information is possible by
a variety of paths.
- The computer-controlled technical manual display
device functions interactively (as a result of
user requests and information input) to provide
procedural guidance, navigational directions,
and supplemental information.
IETMs allow a user to locate required information
faster and more easily than is possible with a
paper technical manual. They are easier to
comprehend, more specifically matched to the
system configuration under diagnosis, and are
available in a form that requires much less
physical storage than paper. Powerful interactive
troubleshooting procedures, not possible with
paper technical manuals, can be made available
using the intelligent features of the IETM display
device.
For more information, visit the
US Navy Web site that
describes IETMs
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