This report describes the application of videotape recordings as an applied research technique in a project directed toward the research and development of training designs and materials for human service agency professionals. The multiple applications of VTR and the types of data collection situations in which it has been utilized are briefly reviewed, and the relative strengths and limitations of VTR as an applied research technique in the development of training materials are discussed in the contexts of access to data, quality of data, quality of production, and costs of production. The three approaches described for making evaluative judgements about the strengths and limitations of VTR as a research tool include: type I--the addition of a literature review with a video production, usually as part of the development of training materials after a literature search and the formulation of training content is completed; type II--the addition of a video production phase after both a literature review and a collection and analysis of field data is completed; and type III--the combination of a video production with the collection of field data after a literature review is completed and before decisions are made about the ultimate content of the training. (RAO)