Methods of Survey and Study:
Some methods of collecting information about the organisation and about the information requirement of potential users are mentioned below. No single method may provide all the necessary information; therefore, several of the methods may have to be used and the findings synthesised so as to get a more complete picture.
• Study of the organisational charts(s) of the institutes(s)
• Study of the functions / activities charts(s) of the institution(s)
• Study of the annual reports, plans and programmes, and other internal documents of the institution(s)
• Survey of potential users using appropriate questionnaires
• Interviewing users, that is:
• Interviewing potential user directly
• Interviewing supervisors of the user (e.g. persons higher in the hierarchy, teachers, guides, etc.)
• Interviewing subordinates of the user (e.g. persons controlled, taught, guided etc.)
• Interviewing persons of coordinate status I colleagues of the user
• Study of papers, hooks, etc. published by the users
• Attending seminars, symposia, colloquia, etc., in which user participates