One of a series of instructional booklets designed to introduce adult education program planners to the basic concepts integral to and alternative strategies for conducting needs assessments, this instructional booklet deals with determining how to summarize information. Described first is the relationship of the process of determining how to summarize information to the entire needs assessment process. Following a discussion of the concept of filtering need information, criteria are suggested for use in data screening procedures. Next, procedures are provided for condensing information. Also examined is the process of organizing data into meaningful clusters to facilitate appropriate subsequent action. (MN)