This paper discusses the factors involved in making decisions about a multimedia display system. Theoretical factors, including gaining and holding learner attention, specific attention-getting devices, encoding and retrieval of information by learners, and presentation of information are considered. Ways that video is associated with computer displays are then reviewed, including managed versus integrated video and digital versus analog video. Two prototypical trade-offs in multimedia design--information versus time and convenience versus quality--are described in order to provide a framework for the kinds of choices necessary when developing multimedia courseware. Constraints in several specific areas are addressed, including resolution, image size, color depth, speed, and data rate and bandwidth. Practical considerations that determine the actual configuration of a workstation or a group of workstations are also discussed, with emphasis on the choice between single screen and two-screen systems. The final section presents a case study which outlines the decision-making process in designing a multimedia workstation for a plant biology laboratory; prioritized system requirements and the system configuration are described. (43 references) (MES)