Lecture 3: Monitoring Platform
1.1 Monitoring Platform
Lecture 3: Monitoring Platform
1.2 Introduction
In this lecture we will cover the following:
Monitoring platforms, and why they are necessary
The different steps of the monitoring process
RSS feeds and the many different sources of information
How to use monitoring platforms, particularly Netvibes
Advanced services and the ways in which they are combined with monitoring platforms
1.3 Answer the question
Correct Choice
X To partly automate news collection and save time.
X To detect market changes as soon as they happen.
X To monitor additional sources more efficiently and avoid missing any
important pieces of news.
Feedback:
All the answers are correct.
A monitoring platform helps to monitor a market and business environment quickly and efficiently. It saves
time during news collection, allowing for a better focus on information analysis and the decision-making
process. Since it makes the monitoring process more systematic, it is also good in avoiding information
overload.
1.4 What is a monitoring platform?
Monitoring platforms are sophisticated pieces of software which help monitor a large amount of news. They
have two main functions:
Collection: they help collect news from a great variety of sources and partly automate the news gathering.
Treatment: they facilitate the analysis, recording, and dissemination of the collected news.
1.5 How are monitoring platforms evaluated?
How are monitoring platforms evaluated?
1.Cost: monitoring platforms range from free tools to very costly platforms (several thousand dollars).
2.Online / offline: nowadays, most monitoring platforms are online and accessible on mobile devices.
3.Level of sophistication: although the most elaborate platforms tend to integrate the different monitoring
functions, they require a long learning process and are mostly aimed at monitoring experts.
4.Maintenance requirements: the more sophisticated the platform, the longer the maintenance process.
Examples of monitoring platforms
Some examples of platforms can be found in GFII’s dedicated directory.
Simple platforms such as Netvibes are useful for beginners.
Netvibes is a personalised dashboard which can be used to monitor the real-time Web. It was founded in
France in 2005, and is today one of the most popular feed readers, used by millions of people worldwide and
supporting more than 70 languages. It is free (in its basic version), user-friendly, and robust.
1.6 Answer the question
Correct Choice
TRUE
X FALSE
Feedback:
This statement is false: printing a piece of news is not sufficient. In fact, it is much better to keep a digital
record of it by registering it full text in a dedicated database.
1.7 What is a RSS Feed?
Available RSS feeds are usually indicated by this icon.
The advantages of RSS feeds
They are automatic: once a RSS feed has been integrated into a feed reader, its news are automatically
updated.
They are immediate: the news is available in the feed reader as soon as it has been published, 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
DEFINITION
RSS is an acronym for Really Simple Syndication. From a practical point of view, a RSS feed is a regular news
flow which can be connected to and read through a feed reader.
There are a variety of RSS feed readers, including:
Feedly
Digg
Netvibes
1.8 How does Netvibes work?
Click on each of the buttons below to learn more about each step.
For full instructions, along with screen captures, click on the following link:
http://documentation.netvibes.com/doku.php?id=main
1.9 Answer the question
Correct Choice
X YES
NO
Feedback:
Yes, a platform which is not fed with diverse and complementary sources is useless. It becomes like an
engine with no fuel: it will not work. Integrating a wide range of information sources in the platform is
necessary in order to avoid missing an important piece of news, or receiving news that is redundant.
1.10 The many sources of information
As mentioned in lecture 2, your choice of information sources depends on your activities and strategic
priorities. Information sources should be in line with your monitoring plan: focused on your monitoring topics,
but also diverse enough to bring you all the kinds of information you need.
Here is an indicative list of possible information sources, with examples. Click on each of the buttons below
to learn more:
Country sources:
Macro-economic sources
Country risk sources
Statistics
Market sources:
Periodical press
Professional associations
Market studies
Legal sources:
National regulations
Trade regulations
Technical information:
Grey literature
Patents
Standards
1.11 Good Practices in Sourcing
When integrating information sources in the platform, the priority should be to use only the best sources.
STEP 1:
Start from your usual information sources and try to integrate those corresponding to your monitoring
subjects (through RSS feeds, newsletters, alerts…).
STEP 2:
Then, use sources directories to find other sources. You can, for instance, refer to ITC’s selection of internet
sources or to the Feedgy RSS feed directory.
STEP 3:
Try to avoid redundant sources and limit yourself to those sources that provide new and varied data.
STEP 4:
To identify the best sources, test the sources for a certain period of time, and do not hesitate to suppress
those sources that perform poorly.
To help you manage your sources and keep a backup, you can save them in an Excel file.
Of course, this file has to be updated each time you work on the sources of your monitoring platform.
1.12 Watch the animation
Monitoring process video
http://www.youtube.com/embed/6LyOffWjQTs?rel=0&cc_load_policy=1
1.13 Answer the question
Correct Choice
X When “feeding” your platform with information sources, it is better to
search first for new sources rather than trying to integrate the sources you
already know.
X The more sources, the better.
X Never remove information sources from your platform.
Keeping a separate file of all your sources is very helpful when managing a
lot of sources.
Feedback:
All statements are false except the last one.
As long as they are relevant to your monitoring subjects, it is better to integrate the sources you already know,
since you are already familiar with their value and their quality. When beginning your monitoring platform, it is
better to select only a few relevant and diversified sources in order to avoid being overwhelmed with news. If a
source no longer contributes to your platform or becomes redundant, do not hesitate to remove it; if you want
to keep a record of it just in case, you can register it into a separate file of sources.
1.14 Answer the question
Correct Choice
YES
X NO
Feedback:
No.
Some interesting sources do not have RSS feeds because they do not publish enough news, or because they
are not technically adapted to them. This is the case of many SME websites, databases, or blogs written by
individual experts. In order to integrate them into a monitoring platform, it is necessary to use Netvibes in
conjunction with other free services which will make the connection possible.
1.15 Advanced Services
Some advanced services are available without charge to complement a monitoring platform’s sourcing and to
help make it more efficient:
Services that automatically monitor changes on some Web pages.
Services that automatically monitor changes in some databases.
Services that create RSS news feeds from sources which are not yet equipped with RSS to allow them to be
“fed” to the platform.
Services that filter existing RSS feeds with keywords in order to increase their relevance.
1.16 Using advanced services
Using advanced services:
VIDEO 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPh_m-xNOgI
Changedetection.com
Monitoring web pages.
Better adapted to pages which do not change often.
VIDEO 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yLgfx5bUtA
Update scanner
Monitoring databases.
Downloaded on PC. To use only with Mozilla Firefox.
VIDEO 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EOlDhDyWNA&feature=youtu.be
Feed informer
Filtering RSS feeds.
All-purpose tool for RSS. To use with Firefox or Chrome.
4: https://feedfry.com/
Feedfry
Generating RSS feeds.
Helps generate RSS feeds with a visual selector.
1.17 Answer the question
Correct Choice
X YES
NO
Feedback:
Yes.
It is possible to set up a monitoring platform which relies only on existing RSS feeds. However, this platform
will probably perform badly since it will be cut off from many interesting sources of information.
1.18 Key points
The key points of this lecture include:
One of the main advantages of automated platforms is the time they save during the monitoring process.
The two major functions of monitoring platforms are information collection and information treatment.
In the beginning, free monitoring services can be sufficient, as long as they are connected to good sources
of information.
A strict selection of good quality sources is essential to maintain a good monitoring performance.
Sources have to be diverse enough to avoid missing important pieces of news, but not too numerous, to
avoid infobesity.
The choice of sources depends directly on the monitoring plan.
Additional services can be combined with monitoring platforms, such as Netvibes, in order to ensure a better
sourcing.
1.19 Thank you for completing the lecture
