Futuring Tools for Strategic Quality Planning in Education [Hardcover]

William F. Alexander (Author), Richard W. Serfass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1998 | ISBN-10: 0873894421 | ISBN-13: 978-0873894425

Designed to help educators create a vision, analyze the vision for its probability of occuring and to establish critical pathways to reach that vision. Provides a holistic and systematic approach to futuring using seven practical tools which can be applied to the strategic planning process. DLC: Educational planning--U.S.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 179 pages
• Publisher: Amer Society for Quality (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873894421
• ISBN-13: 978-0873894425
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,263,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Alexander and Serfass' Futuring Tools, March 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Futuring Tools for Strategic Quality Planning in Education (Hardcover)

The text, "Futuring Tools for Strategic Quality Planning in Education" was designed to help educators envision the future. I believe the tools offered provide a systematic approach to futuring using practical tools which can be applied to the strategic planning process. The authors have been educators for many years and the techniques offered can be used in many situations.

I plan to utilize these tools in preparation of the Strategic Plan for my office. The Office of Sponsored Programs (Grants Administration) is new office to support grant writing and funding activities at my university. Therefore, I plan to use the Delphi Technique, Trend Extrapolations, and Scenario Planning to solicit input from the various colleges thought the campus. It is necessary to determine the trends, interest, experience, goals and objectives which relate to grant funding needs to build.

I believe the strengths of the futuring process are in the systemic manner in which an organization can analyze trends to determine the potential impact to the organization. Once the trends are recognized and the futuring analysis completed, organizations are better able to position themselves to take advantage of future trends or to avoid others. If we do not consider the future, then we are at the mercy of events and may not have the ability to respond in a timely manner. When we reflect upon the future, we are better prepared to envision and control the outcome of the future.

I believe that the weaknesses are accepting trends or the predictions as factual. We can react to those who are authorities on particular subjects as if what they have predicted is a certainly. Sometimes acting upon the predictions of those who have placed themselves as authorities may in fact bring to bear the prediction, rather than the prediction being the impetus for our actions.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good planning techniques, May 10, 2000

By 

XENON (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Futuring Tools for Strategic Quality Planning in Education (Hardcover)

The book gives good and very detailed information. Every chapter is organized similary so it is very easy to read. It is definetely a superb source for both organizational and individual future planning.