This manual presents a self-instructional program designed to acquaint educators with general systems theory as it applies to instructional development practices and the diffusion of instructional innovations. It is also intended to provide an intellectual and emotional frame of reference for individuals undertaking instructional development activities and to present a checklist of criteria and/or operations related to systematic instructional development. The manual was originally developed as part of the materials for participants at the Instructional Development Institute, but it was also designed for use by school personnel who did not attend the institute. The manual is organized in three sections that correspond to the three stages of the instructional development model--(1) identifying the problem, (2) analyzing the setting, and (3) organizing management. Short summary "guideposts" are interspersed throughout the program, and frequent references are made to the variety of supplemental and exemplary materials contained in the appendix. (JG)