Determining current awareness requirements of clients
You should begin by establishing an information profile for the client. This will provide information about what information the client needs and the quantity, level and format of the required information. It will also specify any constraints, such as deadlines for completion, currency of information and language and note any special needs that the client might have:
Example Information Profile
The following information profile might suit a client who wants to be kept up to date on happenings in the Scottish Parliament:
Client name: Joseph Grant
Email address: jgrant@btinternet.com
Age: 35
Education: Completed six years secondary school
Information Required: Regular updates re Scottish Parliament
Quantity: Brief summary with links to full stories
Level: Literate adult
Format: Daily digest
Deadlines: Wants to start ASAP
Currency: Updated daily
Language: English
Special Needs: None
You can find an example of online profile form at:
http://sciweb.lib.umn.edu/general/profile.phtml
Let's look now at Establishing an information profile ...
