A method is presented by which decision makers may establish priorities for the collection of data to be used as input to the decision-making process. It is assumed that the experience, intuition, and previously collected data will influence the decision, as will the constraints of design, and the audience to whom the particular decision is directed. The proposed method is applicable to relatively complex decisions. The roles assumed by the administrator, constraints on data collection, sources of data and variable categories, and formulation of priority task units are discussed as important aspects of the proposed method. To illustrate the process a priority task unit related to one aspect of school busing is presented. A priority task unit has five elements: (1) identification of a prime interest group; (2) identification of a key question asked by the prime interest group; (3) identification of the kinds of data needed to answer the key question; (4) identification of potential sources of data; and (5) identification of possible methods of obtaining needed data. (CK)