Several factors set the stage for control console designers who wish to compete in today's training environment. Chief among these are various DoD initiatives to reduce the costs and increase effectiveness of training systems. The DoD mandate to use Ada^* is a good example. This paper documents a program of research aimed at developing a design approach to realize the DoD cost-effectiveness goals in the training device control console area. This approach features increased use of modular generic software solutions which can be applied over a wide range of situations. At the same time, the approach allows for modification to accommodate specific requirements as needed. A functional baseline was developed based upon reported console design studies and then expanded through developmental testing and user surveys. User reactions and Ada lessons learned are also discussed.