This is a collection of four papers presented at a symposium examining ways in which needs data might be used in decisions about materials development, instructional strategies, assessment strategies, and administrative practices. The issues raised are based on some preliminary experience at the University of Mid-America (UMA) in conducting and seeking to utilize particular kinds of needs assessment data. The introductory paper is aimed at some of the conceptual issues relating to the ideas of needs data as a basis for course development, or need-based curriculum making. The second paper outlines attempts made by UMA to gather data to guide its curriculum decision-making process. The third paper describes procedures utilized to gather information from a number of communities in the state of Nebraska, concerning the needs and interests of the people who would be interested in enrolling in a course in Cultural History of the Great Plains. The final paper summarizes the way in which those needs assessment data were used (or not used) by content specialists, instructional developers, and evaluators working on the Cultural History course. (Author/DAG)