PROFIL: a method for the development of multimedia courseware

This article describes a dedicated method for the design of multimedia courseware, called PROFIL. The method integrates instructional design methods and techniques with software engineering methods and techniques. Furthermore it integrates media selection methods in the design methodology and it takes account of the design of courses of which courseware is a only a part. In six phases (preliminary investigation, definition, script, technical realisation, implementation and exploitation) a program is designed and produced. The essence of the method is that a distinction is made between functional objects and the implementation of the functional objects in the available media and that the same design process is repeated a few times at different aggregation levels. This article deals with the problem we had at the Dutch Open university (Ou) with the design of educational software. The Ou- founded in 1984- provides higher distance education for individual learners who study primarily at home at their own pace. For specific facilities and tutoring students can go to one of the 24 study centres; 18 in the Netherlands and 6 in Belgium