This manual describes and illustrates ED QUEST (Quick Environmental Scanning Technique), an educational planning model designed to identify emerging issues and events which portend threats and opportunities to colleges and universities, to analyze the probable impact of these variables on the organization, and to facilitate the development of appropriate organizational strategies. After section 1 discusses key elements in strategic management, section 2 provides a description of a hypothetical public two-year college used in a simulation of the application of ED QUEST. Section 3 presents an overview of development, underlying assumptions, and major activities of the ED QUEST process. The next sections detail the steps involved in each of the major activities: (1) preparing for the ED QUEST process; (2) defining the nature of the organization, including elements of the mission, indicators of institutional performance, and strengths and weaknesses; (3) identifying universe of critical trends and future events through brainstorming or the Delphi Survey; (4) selecting high impact/high probability events; (5) assessing the interrelationships between events; (6) assessing the impact of critical trends and high probability/high impact events on the institution; (7) developing possible scenarios of possible futures faced by the college; (8) analyzing the scenarios; (9) developing strategic options; (10) incorporating strategic options into strategic management; and (11) additional steps, such as establishing the program structure, gaining organizational acceptance, developing a scanning taxonomy, and identifying and tapping information resources. Appendices contain "Prospects for the Future: Some Possible Trends Which May Impact Education," a notebook of articles and information suggesting possible future events; ED QUEST forms; a Delphi questionnaire; and a scenario for the future of the hypothetical college. (RO)