Researchers love their sources, like cooks love their sauces.

Also like cooks, researchers are constantly expanding their collection of sources to turn to.

Like good product testing, time is set aside each week to get to know a few new sources for finding, sharing or managing information.

It is all part of building in quality and reassurance into delivering research services.

New products are regularly tested and assessed on their

• currency of information
• ease of use
• advanced searching options
• ability to slice and dice the information for analysis
• reputation of the source
• affordability of the product
• relevance for current and future clients
• hot or not recommendations by trusted info pro colleagues.

Those that pass get to make it to the tried and tested and recommended product status.

Some recent sources tested have included newstex.com, scoop.it, attensa.com, statista.com and the revamped reckon-docs.com.au.

The regular testing of new products is a great way to watch developments in information trends and challenge current suppliers to improve their offerings.

Mostly it’s about knowing which sources to turn to when you need to know, and knowing that the sources have been tested for reliability and value for money.