Program planning requires the acquisition of current, reliable information to accurately define the need for the program and to aid in developing its basic structure. In a time of financial restraint, a cost- and time-efficient method for collecting information for program development is important. This paper presents a strategy, borrowed from anthropology, that develops a network of key individuals in the community as a source of information and as a potential resource in program development. The effectiveness of this approach as a method for data collection is illustrated through application to a health and medical needs assessment of a geriatric population. A community diagnosis of this population was obtained.