HotTopics : Better, Faster, Cheaper – Technical Information at the Engineer’s Desktop

Big changes are taking place in the R&D world. Companies are doing less basic research and more applied research. Universities are stepping up applied research and looking to capitalize more on their intellectual property, which may dampen researchers' interest in open access. Engineers seeking information are losing confidence in the open Web and going peer-to-peer. These shifts portend a big impact on content vendors that target engineers as a core market. This HotTopics looks at the changing R&D marketplace for information, particularly the new ways that engineers are disrupting the information-delivery status quo; the suppliers of the information they use; and the ways content providers can meet engineers at their point of need. It identifies growth drivers and trends in the industries that spend the most on R&D, including high levels of biotech innovation, globalization and outsourcing, a shift from basic to applied research in industry, shrinking design cycles, and the drive to commercialize hot technologies. All of these changes are taking place in an information environment that is also evolving, as users are more likely to consult peers and colleagues as sources. This HotTopics identifies ways that information companies can meet those new behaviors, and identifies traditional information providers and new upstarts that are leading the way with solutions for engineers. It provides a three-part prescription for technical information vendors: pay attention to how engineers seek information; capitalize on global R&D shifts; and seize new market opportunities in academia.