Research in Action

Earlier this week I was typing a file that dealt with computer software companies. The recording was done in a busy coffee shop, and understanding the participants was not always the easiest. At one point in the file the interviewee mentioned a company that sounded like "Ametrics." I couldn't find anything and continued with my file, marking the word.

A few minutes later the speaker mentioned the company was founded by a Paul Allen. Google quickly revealed the true name of the company to be Asymetrix, changed to Click2learn and then merged with Docent to become SumTotal, which explains why I had trouble finding concrete evidence for its spelling earlier. That search also yielded the interviewee's personal website, making future references much easier to find context for.