This paper reports the status of Phase I of an ongoing project to develop a macro model describing the decisions involved in developing training equipment. The purpose of the model is to assist managers in making such decisions by providing information concerning the tradeoffs between cost and training effectiveness caused by different configurations and choices of equipment. After the development of a preliminary model, field research was conducted to determine the feasibility of testing such a model and to collect information to expand the preliminary version into a more pragmatic tool.

Results of the field work led to several conclusions. First, many of the types types of data needed to validate such a model are available, hence making such a project feasible. Second, an examination of the available data led to an expansion of the preliminary model to include training value of the various trainer characteristics. Third, much work is needed to develop longitudinal data bases of job performance before sound predictions can be made concerning the impact of trainer characteristics on technician performance after graduation.