Environmental Scanning

Environmental Scanning is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information for the purposes of planning, forecasting, or choosing a preferred future. Scanning or Futures Studies, collects information which is happening outside of the college or organization which may have a profound affect on the way it offers services/products or what services/products it offers in the future. The environmental scanning process uses various tools and methods to collect, analyze and integrate the information that may impact the institution in the future.

Below you will find information about activities that are in progress in the area of external information gathering and retrieval at GRCC.

Activities & Further Information

GRCC Dynamic Scan: The Internet has changed and continues to change how environmental scanning is accomplished. Technology has made it possible to gather information quickly and easily and it is even offering some help in the area of helping organizations to make sense of and use the information gathered. GRCC performs scanning in a continuous or dynamic strategy that allows Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) to disseminate local, regional, state, national, and international information that may be an opportunity or threat to Grand Rapids Community College. This information is then used in planning at all levels for the institution.

Focused Scan: A focused environmental scan is a concentrated search for information/data on a specific topic such as educational technology or health care. Focused scans can be provided for any GRCC faculty or staff group as well as community groups.

The Future GIST: The Future GIST is a periodically distributed e-mail with attachments that is designed to help GRCC Staff create a future’s mindset and stimulate dialog. The e-mail text has some of the author’s thoughts about a trend, issue, and/or event. The attachment contains further information. It may be an article, an abstract, trend picked up in the continuous scanning process at Grand Rapids Community College. Examples of The Future GIST can be seen in PDF format by clicking the hyperlinks below.

• The Future GIST: Pilot: June 2005
• The Future GIST: 1-9; August-September- 2005
• The Future GIST 11-14 October-December - 2005

Consultation: The office of Institutional Research and Planning offers consulting services to other colleges and communities interested in learning more about the process of scanning. IRP can also provide a complete environmental scan, a focused scan, and/or facilitate groups who would like to use the information to support the planning process within their own organizations.

Tools & Resources

• Contents-References, Resources and Links in Previous Future GIST Presentations
• Links in Previous GIST-In-Time Futures Presentations and Other Useful Resources
• Future’s Booklist 2006
• Search Engine Showdown Reviews
• Michigan Community College Association (MCCSSA) Presentation Related Materials
• More Helpful Tools (coming soon)

Presentations

• GIST–In-Time Future: What Community Colleges Must Know About the Next 10 Years (GRCC Deans Council, August 2005)
• GIST–In-Time Future: What Community Colleges Must Know About the Next 10 Years (Conference on Information Technology, Dallas TX October 2006)
  • Environmental Scanning: Creating a GIST-In-Time Futuring Tool, CIT, League for Innovation, October 2005
• GIST–In-Time Future: What Higher Education Must Know About the Next 10 Years (Michigan Association for Institutional Research, Annual Conference, October 2006)
• GIST–In-Time Future: What Community Colleges Must Know About the Next 10 Years (Learning Day, November 2005)
• GIST–In-Time Future: What Community Colleges Must Know About the Next 10 Years (North Central Michigan College January 2006)
• GIST–In-Time Future: What Community Colleges Must Know About the Next 10 Years (MCCSSA, March 2006)
• GIST-IN-TIMEFUTURE-TrendsinOccupationalStudies-06-AllSlides (October, 2006)
• FifteenTrendsmostlikelytoimpacttheCommunityCollegeoverthenextDecade (October, 2006)
• Think Globally, Act Locally, October 2006
  • GRBJSCAN Outline
  • Fifteen Trends most likely to impact the GR Community College over the next Decade
  • GIST-IN-TIME FUTURE-GRCC-A Changing Future2PDF
• The Future of the Institutional Research Professional: Right-brained and Resilient? - MI-AIR November 2006
• The Future GIST Ain't What It Used To Be. GRCC Learning Day, November 2006
• Creating a Personal Futuring Web Page-AIR Pre-Forum Workshop
• The Future of Institutional Research-Right-Brained and Resilient-AIR Presentation

Current Environmental Scanning Project
Gist-in-Time Future is the continuous scan presently being performed for Grand Rapids Community College. Microsoft PowerPoint is used as the scan’s presentation vehicle because it can be continually updated and adapted to specific audiences. The notes section can also be used to cite reference material, provide additional information, and/or related hyperlinks.

For more information on Environmental Scanning or Futures Studies contact: Mark Champion, Information Analyst, IRP, GRCC

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