When was the last time you did a proper needs assessment on current awareness? 

If your most recent needs assessment isn't:

• Underway right now or
• Completed in the past two years (max)

...it's out of date.

This is one of the inescapable conclusions from the recently completed Topic Series, "News, and Other Commodities".

Ten years ago, even five years ago, information managers could license a premium news database on an enterprise-wide basis, and consider current awareness taken care of. In the past two years, however, several marketplace and user trends have converged to render that approach insufficient:

1. User behaviour and expectations have changed: users want faster access to content that is at once broader and more niche than premium databases provide. And they want it on-the-go, in feeds, via portals and integrated into workflow
   
   
2. DIY platforms have matured: technology platforms to customise content feeds are now viable alternatives. Bonus: these platforms also provide granular and valuable usage data
   
   
3. ROI remains in question: when your need is in-depth research, visualisation or other detailed analysis, the market-leaders are still your best choice. But for current awareness? Big standalone products get harder to justify every year.

If the date on your most recent needs assessment is 2014 or earlier, add this to your projects for 2016.

Get started:

• If you have a FreePint Subscription, download your copy of the Index Report for the series
• If you don't yet have a Subscription, you can request a free copy.

Then contact me (robin.neidorf@freepint.com) to leverage FreePint's unique expertise on these projects. Our consulting provides you with a framework, coaching to help you execute your assessment, and feedback based on our extensive research along the way.

Robin Neidorf
Director of Research

Research Focus

FreePint Research focuses on a different area of information strategy every calendar quarter.

• The Topic Series Strategic Alignment of IS and IT (Jan-Mar 2016) enables content experts and technology experts to better understand, work together and achieve mutual goals around the value of information in their businesses.

• Forging Strong Bonds Between Information Services and IT by Scott Vine on 18th January.
  FreePint's Research Focus for the next three months is the "Strategic Alignment of Information Services and IT". Co-producer Scott Vine introduces upcoming articles and highlights the webinars and Communities of Practice sessions we have planned to support this Focus.

Subscription

A FreePint Subscription keeps information strategic to your organisation by providing unique and practical Content, Community and Consulting on information Sources, Technology and Value. Learn more.

• Subscription Update - What's New and What's Coming by Catherine Dhanjal on 20th January.
  Find out about our new Research Focus, "Strategic Alignment of Information Services and IT" which concentrates on how to create organisational change and maintain good relationships with IT. We've also published a good crop of product reviews and a comparative overview of consumer research sources.

Latest FreePint Subscription Articles and Reports:

• Product Review of Cortera Pulse (Introduction; Key Advantages; Contact Details)
  Article by Andrew Lucas on Wednesday, 20th January 2016
  
  
• Getting to Know You, Vendor Perspective
  Article by Robin Neidorf on Wednesday, 20th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of DueDil
  Report on Wednesday, 20th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of Findout (Help & Training, Competitors, Development, Pricing)
  Article by Andrew Lucas on Tuesday, 19th January 2016
  
  
• Market Landscape - Consumer Research Sources
  Report on Tuesday, 19th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of DueDil (Training and Help; Competitors; Development; Pricing)
  Article by Chris Porter on Monday, 18th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of Findout (Technology - Search & User Interface; Outputs & Alerts; Administration)
  Article by Andrew Lucas on Monday, 18th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of EBSCO Business Source Corporate Plus
  Report on Monday, 18th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of DueDil (Technology - Search & User Interface; Outputs & Alerts; Administration)
  Article by Chris Porter on Friday, 15th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of EBSCO Business Source Corporate Plus (Competitors, Development & Pricing)
  Article by Sophie Alexander on Friday, 15th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of Findout (Sources - Content & Coverage)
  Article by Andrew Lucas on Friday, 15th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of DueDil (Sources - Content & Coverage)
  Article by Chris Porter on Thursday, 14th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of EBSCO Business Source Corporate Plus (Technology - Search & User Interface; Outputs & Alerts; Administration & Help)
  Article by Sophie Alexander on Thursday, 14th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of Findout (Introduction; Value; Contact Details)
  Article by Andrew Lucas on Thursday, 14th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of DueDil (Introduction; Value; Contact Details)
  Article by Chris Porter on Wednesday, 13th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of EBSCO Business Source Corporate Plus (Sources - Content & Coverage)
  Article by Sophie Alexander on Tuesday, 12th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of EBSCO Business Source Corporate Plus (Introduction; Value; Contact Details)
  Article by Sophie Alexander on Monday, 11th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of Eikon
  Report on Friday, 8th January 2016
  
  
• Q&A with Cortera - Analysing US Business Information
  Article by Sophie Alexander on Thursday, 7th January 2016
  
  
• Creating the Right Organisational Culture
  Article by Shaida Dorabjee on Thursday, 7th January 2016
  
  
• Product Review of Eikon (Competitors, Development & Pricing)
  Article by Chris Porter on Thursday, 7th January 2016

Forthcoming Webinars and Communities of Practice:

• Step One to Alignment Between IS and IT (In-Person)
  28th January, London, UK

• Step One to Alignment Between IS and IT
  2nd or 4th February

• Successful Relationships Between IS and IT: Tips from the Pros
  9th February

• Make the Most of Your Organisation's Reporting Structure
  17th February

• Shifting the Worldview around IS/IT Relationships: A First Step to Alignment
  8th March

• Sources, Technology, Value - What You Can "Own" and What You Can Influence
  16th March

• The Information Team with "The Right Stuff"
  20th April

• Key Relationships: IT, Procurement, Legal, HR
  18th May

All FreePint Subscription content

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Explore the FreePint Topics:

Blog

The FreePint Blog offers the latest commentary on trends, issues and opportunities in the information world, as well as examples of how organisations use FreePint resources to raise the value of information.

• My Favourite Tipples from a Competitive Intelligence Manager by Anke Russell on 20th January.
  My Favourite Tipples are shared by Anke Russell, a senior research project manager whose experience runs from quantitative research to management of complex strategic projects. She shares her favourite online sources, useful whether spotting technology frontrunners or researching cross-border companies.

Latest FreePint Blog items:

• Subscription Update - What's New and What's Coming
  By Catherine Dhanjal on Wednesday, 20th January 2016
  
  
• FreePint for Vendors
  By Robin Neidorf on Wednesday, 20th January 2016
  
  
• Forging Strong Bonds Between Information Services and IT
  By Scott Vine on Monday, 18th January 2016
  
  
• Join Our Webinars to Improve Your Relationships with the IT Department
  By Catherine Dhanjal on Thursday, 14th January 2016
  
  
• FreePint for Biopharma
  By Libby Trudell on Wednesday, 13th January 2016
  
  
• Concluding the FreePint Topic Series "News, and Other Commodities"
  By Robin Neidorf on Monday, 11th January 2016
  
  
• Eikon - Flagship Financial Data & Analysis
  By Sophie Alexander on Monday, 11th January 2016

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