System and method for providing single source work instructions with user selectable output format

A method for enabling work instruction authoring from a single source library, comprising:

• using the single source library to serve a plurality of different work instruction authoring applications;
• using a software module to provide an input selection by which a user may select one of a plurality of different work tasks to be performed from a selected one of a plurality of work instruction authoring tools, in which the selected work instruction authoring tool accesses the single source library to obtain information therefrom;
• using the software module to select one of a plurality of different process types pertaining to the selected work instruction authoring tool;
• using the software module to provide an output selection field from which the user may select one of a plurality of different output formats in which information generated by the selected work instruction authoring tool may be presented to the user in;
• using the software module to generate a visual characterization of information pertaining to said selected process type;
• and
• using the software module to present information resulting from the selected work authoring tool to the user in accordance with a selected one of said output formats.

A software product comprising:

• a first field in which a user may specify at least one of a plurality of criteria to be used in implementing a work instruction via a work instruction authoring tool;
• a second field in which a user may select one of a plurality of different work process types to be performed during the selected work instruction;
• a third field in which the user may select one of a plurality of different output formats to be used in providing information to the user concerning the selected work instruction;
• and
• a fourth field in which specific information concerning the selected work instruction is provided to the user in accordance with the selected output format.