forecollection

Forecollection refers to the proactive gathering and organization of information, data, materials, or resources before they are urgently required. The approach is intended to support planning, research, risk assessment, or rapid response by reducing bottlenecks in accessing relevant sources later on.

It is a neologism formed from the prefix fore- and collection, and it lacks a formal, widely accepted definition. The term appears mainly in select professional discussions and practitioner literature, particularly in fields such as project management, library and information science, and knowledge management.

Applications include early literature scanning for a research project, assembling potential datasets for a machine learning task, or curating a repository of reference materials anticipated to be needed during a future phase of a project or organization. Forecollection can also involve developing living catalogs of sources, peers, and insights to keep options open as plans evolve.

Typical practices involve identifying likely information needs, sourcing candidate materials in advance, tagging and indexing them, maintaining a dynamic catalog, and periodically refreshing items as priorities shift. Methods may be integrated with knowledge management systems or archival workflows to support ongoing relevance and accessibility.

Forecollection is related to anticipatory knowledge management and proactive data collection; it differs from retrospective collection and post hoc gathering. Potential benefits include faster access to relevant information, informed decision-making, and reduced rework, while drawbacks can include upfront costs, information overload, maintenance demands, and privacy considerations with sensitive materials.

History and status: The term has limited use since the 2010s and remains informal, without a universal standard definition across disciplines.