A review of the literature related to methods for analyzing content or tasks prior to instructional development is presented. The review classifies methods according to a two-dimensional matrix. The first dimension differentiates phases of analysis, each dealing with content and tasks of a particular scope and each generating certain instructionally useful products. The second dimension differentiates between five classes of instructional content, defined in terms of behavior and building on the notion of domains of learning proposed by Gagne. These include: motor skills, verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, and attitudes. Following a summary of methods of analysis, an attempt is made to assign methods to positions in the matrix. (Author/MV)