Information-gathering habits of technical experts and oral informarion
Abstract
Formal and informal ways of oral information, and generally the auditive way of communication may supposedly play a much more important role in the information pattern of technical experts than it has appeared from information demand analyses made so far in Hungary. “Information deluge” is a world-wide phenomenon resulting from the over-production of documents, and it may be deemed as a reaction to this that opportunities for organized oral information exchanges have reached a large number, and the users of this source of information have formed a very favourable image of it.
By means of a representative survey of MTESZ (Union of Scientific and Technical Associations) analyzed the information demands of technical and scientific workers employed by nine industrial companies and research institutes covering machine industry, telecommunication, high precision engineering and electrical engineering. Based on 307 completed questionnaires, representing 10 per cent of the total personnel of companies and institutes involved in the survey, and a 95 per cent response rate, the following conclusions may be drawn: while formal written information (which is considered by the majority of users as more reliable) plays a major part in the preparatory phase of solving scientific or technological tasks and generally in the permanent efforts of experts to be well-informed, oral information proves the most frequently used means of solving problems emerging in the process of work. This form is held by the majority of users – particularly as regards consultations with managers and experts – as a more rapid, accessible and effective way of communication. Certain phases of problem-oriented information have given evidence of the importance of oral information. This implies that information institutes – more than ever – have closely to examine this group of information sources so that, properly adjusted to the system of services, it might give more assistance to users.
