Stages of Looking

I was asked why people would use this service, when they could simply type their request into Google. That is a good question. I started Internet Missions Research because it put together the three things that are in it's name for me. I had the internet available as a tool and I was interested in both "missions" and "research."

IMR gave me the ability to help others interested in christian missions at some level. When I first advertised using Brigada there were about 15 requests in three days, which then dropped off. A lot of these requests posed good questions which required in depth research.

Lately, when advertising through Google Adwords, the requests are about difficult to find items or about requests for funds. There aren't as many requests that are from people looking to research topics. This could be due to the fact that a lot of people simply do the research themselves. So let's take a look at the "stages of looking" a person might go through.

(1) A person has an idea or question and simply relies on memory to retrieve the facts needed. Most missionaries and those working for mission agencies are trained in their field. As part of that training they have acquired a good deal of the knowledge needed to work in their field. So their memory should aid them in many cases.

(2) Reference books and texts acquired during and after training. Training usually includes books and unless thrown out, they should still be available! If these are nearby, they will likely be consulted as the need arises.

(3) Internet sites and reference works on computer. As the computer and internet came on the scene, more knowledge has been transferred to electronic storage. As learning takes advantage of these, these will also be consulted when there is a question.

(4) Friends, librarians and experts. Joe is as likely to yell to the person in the next cubicle, "Hey where do I find that?" as he is to look something up. In the same way these people may be the first ones he asks when looking.

Depending on where a person is and how often he uses the computer and internet, (3) is only one of four major areas a person can look. Even when looking on the internet, a person with experience on it may go to an expert site first with a query rather than using a search engine.

In summary, offering an internet research service should come with a realization that there are many ways to find information. Experts have training, books and a network to help them find what they need. Therefore an expert may need help only when exploring a new field. A relatively young person who is gaining experience may need help to be pointed in the right direction. There are also experts who have a limited internet connection who may need assistance. And there are those with limited internet experience and a poor connection who need help. Each requires a slightly different form of help.