Introducing the FreePint Topic Series "Making Information Visible"
Jinfo Blog

By James Mullan

Abstract

With the new FreePint Topic Series: Making Information Visible launching in January, Series co-producer James Mullan provides a preview of the key concepts and technologies which will be covered, from integrating internal and external sources of information to improving internal search options.

Item

Information "discovery" is a hot topic in organisations of all kinds. This is a broad term that can actually encompass discovery, search tools and workflows that put critical information on users' desktops, mobiles and other devices.

Depending on the definition you read, there can be some overlap among the concepts. But there also are some significant differences which is why it's important to understand the subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle differences among the terms used when talking about "information discovery". The FreePint Topic Series: Making Information Visible will look at "information discovery" from the perspective of organisations' use of technologies that help drive success.

In addition to case studies, product and market reviews, the Series will also look at some of the challenges that information managers face and the ways in which these can be addressed. The Series will also include the following topics:

Integrating Internal and External Sources of Information

A major area of work for information managers in many organisations is making internal sources (databases and content silos) and external sources (subscription websites and other sources) available to individual users. There are some significant challenges for information managers in making these numerous resources available in a single, searchable environment.

Most notable is the ever-growing number of resources that need to be taken into account and the level of sophistication that many users now expect in relation to search and finding content. This is an area that will be looked at in some detail in the Making Information Visible Series.

Making Our Internal Search Tools Better

I think most people would agree that it's often easier to find information on the internet using sites like Google or Bing than it is to find internal information using an intranet or enterprise search tool.

This appears to be a widespread issue, according to a recent report, which surveyed 400 members of the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) and found that 75% thought it was easier to find external information and 25% had no dedicated internal search tool. I don't believe this should be the case and the Making Information Visible Series will look at how information managers can develop internal search tools to make them more effective.

Taking Advantage of the Latest Technologies

As information managers we work in a rapidly changing environment where it seems that every week a new tool or technology is being released that aims to aid information discovery and sharing.

As a result an area of definite interest for information professionals is around the development of new tools that support information discovery. This Topic Series will look at some existing and new tools in more detail and look at how information managers can take advantage of the opportunities they provide.

Register now to receive: 

• A free preview PDF report, framing the themes for the Series (January 2015)       
• Email notification of new resources added to the Series (starting January 2015)
• Access to practical Blog items
• A free PDF report with selected premium articles from the Series (publication March 2015).

Have Your Say

Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey about what you want us to cover in this Topic Series. The survey will be open until 15th January - your input helps us produce what's most valuable to you.

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