This guide provides planners with the essential tools and methods of labor market analysis for planning local occupational programs. An introduction discusses responsibility for development of labor market information (LMI) and guide development. Chapter 1 is a brief checklist of the steps involved in developing and using LMI in program planning. It also serves as a "road map" for chapters 2 through 5, which include more detailed descriptions of the process. Chapter 2 deals with creating a planning list of occupational titles from initial program ideas. The first two sections describe methods for obtaining ideas for new programs. Section 3 concerns translating the list into occupational titles. The first section of chapter 3 describes methods to refine the planning list to those occupations that warrant labor assessment. Section 2 discusses grouping occupations into potential programs. Chapter 4 describes the resources and methods necessary to assess the labor market potential of the occupational groupings. Three sections cover reviewing published LMI, gathering additional information, and reviewing findings with employer advisory committees. Chapter 5 briefly addresses program design. Appendixes include a glossary, bibliography, publication sources, resource organizations, and a list of supplements to facilitate use of this guide. (YLB)