The purpose of this paper is to delineate the various responsibilities and interrelationships of the agencies involved in the acquisition of a major training system. As the title suggests, this paper will emphasize the role of the user as perceived by the materiel developer. Discussed within the paper will be these interrelationships as they exist with a major Army training system acquisition. The participants will be identified, the four phases of the acquisition process will be presented and a discussion of the role of the user in this process will be highlighted. Also covered will be the user's role in the development of Front-End Analysis (FEA) materiels and Task and Skills Analysis (TASA) documentation. In addition, a common vocabulary will be included to establish a basis of understanding and suggestions will be offered on problems which need heightened interest and tracking during the design, development and acquisition processes.