Managing Intermediated Research Requests: Best-In-Class Project Tracking Systems

Research project tracking systems are one more tool to be used in the information center manager's quest to understand and rationalize his or her service usage and resource allocation. In what Outsell describes as the Year of Accountability, it is incumbent on information center managers to scrutinize their product and service offerings. A sophisticated understanding of the costs, benefits and markets for an intermediated research service can only come about through a formalized process of tracking that service. Further, excellent project tracking systems contribute to user satisfaction by enhancing the customer experience through more efficient handling of requests, information center process improvement, better targeting of services and resources, and more information on the status of outstanding projects.