Information Needs Analysis

Daniel G. Dorner is Senior Lecturer, G E Gorman is Professor of Library and Information Management and Philip J Calvert is Senior Lecturer at the School of Information Management, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

• 1. Background to needs analysis for information managersIntroductionInformation needs analysis rather than information needs assessmentUnderstanding the concept of needDefining ‘needs’ in relation to ‘wants’ and ‘demands’Defining information needs analysisTypes of information needsReasons for conducting an information needs analysisReview of Chapter 1Further readingReferences 2. The importance of context in information needs analysisIntroductionThe cultural contextInformation needs awareness in contextPurpose and perceived importanceDetermining the communitiesMaking use of existing dataReview of Chapter 2Further readingReferences 3. Models and types of information needs analysisIntroductionThe literatureThe system approachThe target group approach The contexts of needs assessmentsComparing the perspectivesInformation needs analyses in information management contextsReview of Chapter 3Further readingReferences 4. The stages of information needs analysisIntroductionFour stages of needs analysisThe recursive nature of INA researchQualitative and quantitative frameworks for data analysis The stages of ex post interventionReview of Chapter 4Further readingReferencesAppendix 4.1: Gantt chart 5. Gathering data for information needs analysesIntroductionHow we have reached this junctureThe primary research questionThe research populationThe data-gathering methodData analysisValidity and reliabilityEthical considerationsPractical issues to consider when choosing a methodThe main data-gathering methodsExamples of data-gathering methods selected in INAs Review of Chapter 5Further readingReferences6. Gathering data from existing sourcesIntroductionThe dataExternal dataInternally created dataThe methodsConclusionReview of Chapter 6Further readingReferences7. Gathering data through surveysIntroductionWhat is a survey?Planning for a surveyConducting a surveyPreparing for data analysisReview of Chapter 7Further readingReferences 8. Gathering data through interviewsIntroductionThoughts on managing qualitative data collectionInterviewsFocus groupsObservationOther qualitative methodsReview of Chapter 8Further readingReferences 9. Analysing and integrating information needs analysis dataIntroductionAnalysing and integrating informationThe information analysis stage in the INA processQualitative dataQuantitative dataDescriptive statisticsInferential statisticsReview of Chapter 9Further readingReferences 10. Reporting on an information needs analysisIntroductionThe audience and its impact on the final reportValidity and reliabilityThe writing processThe structure of an INA reportThe use of graphicsOther means of communicating the resultsReview of Chapter 10Further readingReferences

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