Insight 1 from Research Focus - value comes from the technology
Jinfo Blog

By Robin Neidorf

Abstract

In the first insight from our Research Focus, "Define and manage value for current awareness", we explain how the value of current awareness services increasingly comes from technology - management platforms, analytics and self-service.

Item

Jinfo's first insight in our Research Focus "Define and manage value for current awareness" is that value today increasingly comes from the technology supporting the current awareness system. This is true whether the technology comes packaged with the content in an all-in-one premium offering like Factiva or Nexis; is a standalone, content-agnostic platform like InfoDesk or Manzama; or is cobbled together internally through clever use of RSS readers, shared documents and email systems.

If you're questioning the value of current awareness provision and trying to justify it to stakeholders (who isn't?), this observation challenges you to take a harder look at your available technology, considering the entire value-chain:

Every step in this chain is a touchpoint where advancing technology makes a difference in how you balance the value equation.

Your approach to current awareness provision may rely on a one-stop premium product, where much of the technology is built into the product. Your approach may be significantly manual, where leveraging technology is mainly based on content subscriptions, alerts, and your distribution process for newsletters. In the middle are the content-agnostic platforms, which make the technology more accessible and configurable than in one-stop products.

Whichever approach you use, evaluate every step:

• Can it be automated or semi-automated, for you or for the end users?
• Are your interactions with the technology streamlined and consistent?
• Is there a newer way to get the same result - or a better result - with less effort? 
• Can you meet user preferences for format, frequency, and access points?
• Are you getting the right metrics and insights out of the system, and if not, how can you leverage technology to help?

Our Jinfo Survey "Needs and preferences for current awareness 2017" told us that, on average, current awareness provision takes information teams 17 hours a week to deliver, and systems were implemented an average of 5.6 years ago. That's a lot of investment based on systems set up in 2011.

Regardless of how your numbers compare, take the technology component seriously. Evaluate it regularly. If you're not keeping up with options, you risk over-spending and under-delivering.

Get started right away: leverage Jinfo's research and experience

Free: key insights

The main lessons learned in this three-month Research Focus, plus a thematic index to all content published, are listed in the "Insights and Actions" report for the Research Focus, "Define and manage value for current awareness".

Non-subscribers: request a free copy by registering your interest.

Subscribers: sign in now to download your copy and access all premium content.

Content

The content in the current Research Focus, "Define and manage value for current awareness", describes the state-of-the-industry for technology supporting current awareness and raises questions you need to ask about your current and future needs. Your Jinfo Subscription provides access to these items.

Use these items from the Research Focus for specific guidance (paid subscription):

• Technology in news curation and the impact on innovation and content reliability
• Using signal media and artificial intelligence in news
• Defining content aggregators in current awareness
• Are content aggregation platforms meeting your needs?
• Untangling the terminology of content aggregation

The following webinars will also be useful (paid subscription):

• 10th October: The increasing role of technology in current awareness
• 5th December: Current awareness in 2020

Community

Join your peer group in Jinfo Community sessions to work on these issues (paid subscription, with Community option included):

• 4th October: Current awareness platforms - is it time to make the leap? - an article encompassing key points will be available soon.

Consulting

Jinfo Consulting has supported a number of customers through the process of needs assessment, evaluation, selection and implementation of a content platform to support current awareness. Contact us to learn how we can help you.

« Blog