1. A. Mark Macias
Director of Institutional Research
Spokane Community College
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

2.  Introduction to the environmental scanning
process
◦ Definition of scanning
◦ Types of scans
 What to include in your scans
 Tips on conducting scans
 Tips on producing scan report
 Resources
 References
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

3. WARP Fall Conference November 2008

4.  The process of collecting, analyzing, and
distributing information for tactical and
strategic purposes
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

5.  To provide strategic intelligence by evaluating
potentially significant environmental changes
◦ Conveys both current environmental status and how it is
changing  trends
◦ Alerts planners to trends that are converging, diverging,
interacting, accelerating, or decelerating
◦ Ideal end-goal: allows for adaptive planning before these
trends occur or fully develop
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

6.  Often refers only to the environment that is
external to the organization
(also called the macroenvironment)
 Good strategic planning requires information on
internal organizational factors, so whenever
possible include these also
(unless obtained in separate processes)
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

7.  One cycle in the strategic planning process
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

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9. Ad Hoc Periodic Continuous
 Also called Continuous Learning
 Usually performed in response  Tied to planning cycle
General  Structured, in-depth data collection
to crisis (e.g., every 3 years)
Character and analyses by dedicated staff
 Not as in-depth  In-depth
-istics  Data gathered is more
 Forecasts are more short-term  Forecasts 5 to 10 years
comprehensive
 Dedication of time by researchers
 Predictable frequency
allows incorporation of data from
allows for appropriate
 Allows for quicker turn-around more sources
budget planning
of scan results  Provides planners with more
Pros  Lower commitment of resources
 Frequency provides timely
comprehensive information
information gathering for
over time  Informs planners of critical changes
planning
sooner
 Planning is proactive…
 Plans can be adjusted or adopted
 Data can be more superficial more proactively
 Reaction to unforeseen
 Results may address immediate
changes in environment
issues, but are less
(e.g., onset of recession)  Requires ongoing institutional
generalizable
Cons  If only conducted in response to
may require Ad Hoc scan commitment of resources (funding,
to supplement information. personnel, and time)
crises, indicates lack of
 Planning response is then
organized institutional planning
more reactive
efforts
 Planning response is reactive
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

10. Depends …
No, this is not a cop-out …
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

11.  Depends…
◦ Type of scan (Ad hoc, Periodic, Continuous)
◦ Your institution’s relationship to its service area
◦ How the scan information will be used
 Things to consider including:
◦ Customer analyses
 Current and potential students
 Current and potential students’ parents
 Current and potential employers
 Other institutions of higher education (for transfer students)
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

12.  Community relations ◦ Socio-Cultural (continued)
◦ Community satisfaction  Attitudes about higher education
◦ Community needs assessment  Cultural shifts
◦ Technological
 Competitors  New products and services  training
◦ Other public and private CCs, opportunities
universities, and technical colleges  New manufacturing processes
 Infrastructure changes
 Campus (& District) Climate ◦ Economic
◦ Students  Industry/career demand and decline
◦ Staff  Unemployment
◦ Faculty  Inflation
◦ Administration ◦ Environmental/Ecological
 New industry opportunities
 Macroenvironment: STEEP ◦ Political
◦ Socio-cultural  Political climate/stability
 Demographics  State budget deficit or surplus
 population size and distribution  Changes in legislation
 age distribution
 education levels
 income levels
 race and ethnicity
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

13.  Rate factors on two dimensions:
◦ Potential impact on your institution
◦ Probability of occurrence
 Look for changes in current trends
 Look for potential interaction effects between
factors.
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

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15.  Don’t try to do this alone!
◦ Assemble a research team
◦ Divide the workload
 Allow your team ample time to do the work*
* Then give yourself even more time!
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

16.  Use an editor to create a common voice in the
text.
 Consider your audience.
 Present your data so that it tells a story, then
actually tell that story. Because…
 The reader must be able to envision the future
and engage in “future-thinking.”
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

17.  Again, consider your audience.
 Use charts and graphs to clearly present past and future trends.
 Refer to The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
for guidance of best practices.
 Use color in charts and graphs to draw readers attention to important
factors, and avoid “chart clutter.”
◦ But, make sure they are still readable if photocopied or printed in grayscale.
Don’t do what we did! (And we even knew better)
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18.  Plan on producing both printed and electronic
(PDF) versions.
 Plan for limited color printing (for key stake-
holders), with additional copies in black and white
for general distribution.
 Documents that stakeholders are
proud of will be more widely
distributed and more widely used.
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

19. A small sampling…
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20. These data sources were found to be very helpful in preparing the CCS
environmental scan, and would be useful for any college in WA.
Free Sources
US Census Bureau www.census.gov and
factfinder.census.gov
US Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics www.bls.gov
Capital Professional Services inflationdata.com
State Board for Community & Technical College www.sbctc.ctc.edu
Washington Office of Financial Management www.ofm.wa.gov
Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction www.k12.wa.us
Washington Workforce Explorer www.workforceexplorer.com
Subscription Sources
National Student Clearinghouse www.studentclearinghouse.org
Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. www.economicmodeling.com
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

21.  Morrison, J. L. (1992). Environmental scanning. In M. A.
Whitely, J. D. Porter, and R. H. Fenske (Eds.), A primer for
new institutional researchers (pp. 86-99). Tallahassee,
Florida: The Association for Institutional Research. Out of
publication, but still available on the web:
http://horizon.unc.edu/courses/papers/enviroscan/
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_scanning
 Tufte, E. R. 2001. The Visual Display of Quantitative
Information. Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press LLC.
WARP Fall Conference November 2008

22.  Share Tips or Advice ?
 Share Data Sources ?
 Share Resources ?
PowerPoint slides and PDF of CCS Environmental Scan available
upon request:
A. Mark Macias
Spokane Community College
mmacias@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8871
WARP Fall Conference November 2008