Effective Search Planning

Planning for the Future

Effective search planning and management is based on formal search theory, a branch of applied science first established by Bernard Koopman during World War II.Briefly, a search for any missing target - from car keys to kids; from a missing Alzheimer's patient to a parking spot in the front row of the mall - involves answering two questions:

1) Am I looking in the right place?
2) Would I detect the target if it is there?

Search theory involves calculating the best "bang for the buck" in terms of investing search efforts in order to best answer these two key questions. The documents below offer further insight into the science and art of search theory, planning and management.