Technically communicating with the unknown: the challenge of the 1990s

Design and quality are forecasted to be deciding factors for gaining the industrial competitive edge during the 1990s. It is pointed out that usability and human factors testing are essential in determining how well these parameters are met. In order to excel during usability and human factors testing, equal attention must be paid to cultural differences and language barriers that exist in national as well as in international marketplaces. It is argued that, as cultural differences and language barriers are generally compensated for in a product´s documentation, the inherent philosophy of separating documentation from product will not survive this decade. Better methods for transmitting product information will be one of the key challenges for remaining competitive in both domestic and foreign markets.<>