Search Strategies

For any search, but also for functional searching, defining a search strategy before attacking your project will help you reach a better outcome. It is good to keep the operation agile, and not go to spend too much time on technologies that might not end up being relevant for you.

Generally speaking, a function search will be broken down in different steps:

1. Define the problem

What is the type of search? What is the function? Is there more than one function? What are the environments?

1. Prepare a search query

Build a search query in IGOR^AI and verify if the terms are working and if the first set of results found are relevant. Iterate until the search query provides relevant results

1. Sort and save technologies

Identify technologies in abstracts, and if relevant save the technologies. Try not to dive deep in the papers at this stage of the search, this is a first approach to get a landscape overview of the different technologies and solutions.

1. Group, organize and conceptualize

It is likely that you found a lot of technologies. Some being different, and some being similar. Before searching further, this is a good moment to group these results. Example: Do you need all different sub-type of platics to be separately mentioned? Or is a technology called plastic enough for your focus?

1. Prepare the report

Once the conceptualizing answers your questions’s focus, you can start building the report by adding snippet of text, using AI, making notes, etc.

1. Share and select

At this stage, you, or a colleague, can select the most promising directions based on the first set of information found. You can use selection tool, or brainstorms, to execute this task

1. Deepdive

You have now identified the most promising technologies. You can now use IGOR^Ai to narrow down on these technologies, find all papers, detailed requirements, partners, suppliers, etc.

Following this structured search strategy, especially when exploring a technology landscape, can prevent wasting time on non-relevant technologies during deep dives, optimizing your research efforts.