enquiry@flexmr.net | @_FlexMR | www.flexmr.net

MIXING TECHNIQUES IN A DYNAMIC WORLD60 languages | 23 tools | 7 suites | 1

platform

practical

BENEFITS OF ONLINE QUAL

• move into the field quickly and get feedback faster than face to face

reduces field time

• through lower travel, incentive, set-up and time costs

lowers the cost of research

• easier for participants, clients and researchers to take part from their own locations

convenience

• involve participants from dispersed geographies nationally and internationally

wider mix of participants

• detailed output within minutes, not days

responsive output and transcripts

• get feedback from people’s lives as it happens, not post rationalised

in the moment

• get participants involved early by using pre-tasks

engaging

• collaborate with participants over a number of tasks

interactive

• easier to mix techniques and respond with follow-up tasks and questions

dynamic and detailed

• engaging and interactive tools lead to higher participation rates and better feedback

better feedback

research

2

ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS

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live chat focus groups

• real time• rich in stimuli• in-depth• stimulating• interactive

real-time & responsive perfect for capturing responses to

sensitive information

perfect for collaborative stakeholder discussions

perfect for time strapped studies

ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS

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bulletin board focus groups

understanding & depth

perfect for creating pen portraits across your customer segments

perfect for mimicking the involved decision making processes in purchasing decisions

perfect for breaking down complexities of contracts, detailed information

perfect for engaging b2b

COMBINING ONLINE WITH TRADITIONAL

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qualitative approach

Part 1: Online Pre-task using smartboardsAim Collaborative discussion & feedback before the F2F focus group

Part 2: F2F Traditional, F2F focus groupsAim Explore the WHY and add depth

F2F Focus Group

Online Pre-Task +

Online

Post-Task

Diary Study

Extra reach

Traditional

F2FFocus Group

Online

Pre-Task

Smartboard

Depth & Detail

COMBINING METHODOLOGIESPre-task. Online & F2F Research. Post-task

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Online pre-task – StrengthsReflectionDetailInput in their own time

F2F focus group - StrengthsDepthIdeationCreativity

Benefits for research Active thinking &

involvment Topic guide input Engagement Frees up time in F2F

group

Benefits for research In-depth contact &

discussion Concentration on “why“

Benefits for clients Client viewing in person

Post-taskRefelction on conceptStakeholder refines conceptFurther testing opportunityIn-situ lifestyle feedback

Online

Community

Added scale

AD-HOC QUAL VS. COMMUNITY

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perfect for new ideas for product development

perfect for refining concepts

perfect for website testing

perfect for unearthing issues ‘bottom up’

community tools1. leaderboard to motivate competition2. newsfeed signpost members to recent activity3. reward points for longer term engagement4. blogging for freely formed comments

speed matched with understanding

online communitiesbe part of something

ONLINE COMMUNITIESengaging participants and maximum flexibility

comparerun parallel activities to compare

segments

seg

men

t

A seg

men

t

Ball inoneplace

combinecombine tools for richer insight

evolvefollow new directions in follow up

activities

dynamicdynamically create new segments

COMMUNITY CASE STUDY

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methodologieso live chat focus groups – segmented based on previous responses to refine marketing messages

o diaries – structured and unstructured exploration of the customer journey

o smartboards – understanding design development pre-prototype

o survey – A 5000 response survey, including the 500 collaborators who took part in the 3 month community

benefits challenges☑ responsive to project aims o effective communication

☑ evolving research design o managing drop outs

☑ builds relationships

product development &changing the development path

location tagging be in the moment

GO MOBILEremove all boundaries to research

mobile optimised site

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features• mobile enabled site • location tagging• video booth• structured, small quant

tasks• open ended journals• photo uploads

longitudinal interviews lifestyle diaries product testing ethnographic video diaries

benefits• in-situ and real-time research • continuous communication• more convenience• cost-effective ethnographic research

DIARY STUDIEScontinuous dialogue, in the moment

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managing online qual for maximum success

Need an even better understanding of techniques

Different dynamics to online qualitative research which require understanding

Are the benefits of speed and price oversold? “Cheap and quick” miss the point

Understand the real benefits for you and your client

What are the risks of getting it wrong?

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

COUNTDOWN TO THE NEW FRONTIER

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3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

New methodologies

Where and when to use online research

Utilising the benefits

3 ...

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New innovative methodologies

Diary Studies

Brainstorm

Smartboards

Scrapbooks

journals, report cards, galleries,

creativity, discussion & rating

collaborative discussion on an image

pool of insight

small quant

2 ...

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where and when to use online research

COMPLEMENT & COMBINE

Multi-country studies

Pre-tasks Follow-up qual

Hard to reach audiences

Mobility Home/In-Situ

Product feedbackDigital stimuli or

topicsSensitive

Converging explorations/proces

sesEfficiency of scale

Hypotheses generation & refinement

... 1

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Utilise the benefits

Complement

Continuity

Connection

Coordination

Cost-efficiency

enquiry@flexmr.net | @_FlexMR | www.flexmr.net

MIXING TECHNIQUES IN A DYNAMIC WORLD60 languages | 23 tools | 7 suites | 1

platform

online focus groups

panels

communities

ad-hoc or continuous

mobile enabled

extensive qual Tools

FlexMR has been designed and developed over 8 years by a team of experienced researchers

we have experience across industry sectors, including utilities, retail, b2b and e-commerce

we have focused on adding online methods into market research to improve business understanding

ABOUT US

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built by researchers, for researchers

experience & focus

methods & services

we have delivered innovative market research for the last 8 years using our FlexMR online system. Our service is responsive and needs led

we specialise in fusing new online methodologies to uncover real, actionable insight

COMMUNITY CASE STUDY

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purpose1. test the new technology upgrades to the system2. understand customer reactions to new paid content

solution3 month online community of 500 respondents across different segments evolving into sub segments to refine propositions

result• gained deep understanding & benefitted greatly from responsive design• insight into content choices for each segment• large group of collaborators, involve them at this level and it changes

their future behaviour

product development &changing the development path