Information Needs Analysis: Principles and Practice in Information Organizations

Citation

Zinaida Manžuch (2015), "Information Needs Analysis: Principles and Practice in Information Organizations", The Electronic Library, Vol. 33 No. 5, pp. 964-965. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-06-2015-0090

The issue of information needs is abundantly discussed in the professional and research literature. In this light, to publish another book on information needs analysis (INA) with a distinctive purpose and readership is a challenging task. The authors of this book have found an elegant solution. By gracefully combining an introduction into information needs concepts and practical advice on conducting information needs analysis, they bridge theory and practice. The major benefit for information managers, the main target audience of this book, is a convincing demonstration how a (mis)understanding of the nature of information needs can lead them to or prevent them from reaching successful practical solutions in service design or improvement.

In the book, information needs analysis is treated as a strategic activity. In ten chapters, one can gain the background knowledge to conduct information needs analysis (Chapters 1-3), plan the INA research (Chapter 4), apply specific procedures and methods to gather research data (Chapter 5-8), perform data analysis (Chapter 9) and report the results of INA (Chapter 10). Readers of the book will benefit from a systemic overview of different INA levels and their relevance for supporting particular organizational decisions. Advice on advantages, costs and other practical aspects of conducting INA in organizations is particularly valuable for information managers. However, the chapters dedicated to major research processes and methods are focused on general comments that are abundant in the professional information and library literature. Although the issue of complexity and variety of INA should be recognized, insights about what could be researched (e.g. the structure of tasks, features of information seeking, using information) to get useful support for decision-making are crucial for the readers of this book.

The book is well-structured and easy to read. Each chapter is supplemented with real-life examples (scenarios) that illustrate and facilitate understanding of theoretical elaborations. Chapter reviews and advice on further reading are useful features for those who are going to get an in-depth knowledge about INA. The logical and simple structure of the book along with its examples and advice makes it beneficial not only for information managers but also for students of information and library science.