This book discusses the need for organizational planning in a rapidly changing society and examines how a systems approach to needs assessment can meet that need. In the foreword, futurologist Earl Joseph discusses the phenomenon of social change and need for systematic planning to anticipate and direct change. In chapter 1, the authors present an argument for empirically based planning and offer a six-step model of scientific planning. Chapter 2 describes in detail a 10-step needs assessment model developed by the Minnesota Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (MASCD), focusing in turn on the purpose of each step and offering a strategy for implementing it. Chapter 3 suggests a number of additional resources and alternative strategies for accomplishing certain steps in the needs assessment model described in chapter 2. The appendix contains copies of various documents that were used by MASCD during the implementation of its needs assessment model. (JG)