Information Needs of Users in the Tech Savvy Environment and the Influencing Factors

Abstract

The concept of information needs was coined by an American information scientist, Robert S. Taylor, in his article "The Process of Asking Questions" published in American Documentation (Now the Journal of the American Society of Information Science and Technology). There are many definitions of information need. According to Case, information need is a recognition that your knowledge is inadequate to satisfy a goal that you have. He explains that having information is not the same as being informed. Information need is one of the cognitive needs of humanity. Information need determines information-seeking behavior and these concepts harmonize one another. Information need is influenced by a number of factors. This chapter provides an overview of information needs of users, their types, and also the various factors influencing the information needs of users in the digital age.