new research options: how to choose

Bureau West ▪ Market Research & Marketing Strategy ▪ Los Angeles, CA ▪ tel: (818) 588-6050, email: [email protected] 1

New Research Options: How to Choose

By Jay Zaltzman

• Bureau West, Inc.

• Market Research & Marketing Strategy

• Los Angeles, California, USA

• Tel: +1-818-588-6050

• Email: [email protected]

Presented as a QRCA QCast

March, 2011

mailto:[email protected]


Bureau West: research & strategy

• Consortium of independent researchers

– Qualitative research (focus groups, interviews, online methods)

– Quantitative research (surveys)

– Website-related research (usability, conceptual)

• “Agnostic” when it comes to methodology

– What’s the best way to answer the research question?


Decisions, decisions

• Inundated with new qualitative options:

– Online bulletin board focus groups

– Remote webcam focus groups

– Telephone focus groups

– Online chat focus groups

– Mobile phone research

– Online journaling

– Video diaries

– Telephone interviews with “desktop” (computer screen) sharing

– Online communities/social networks

– And more!


Decisions, decisions

• And then there are the traditional options such as focus groups and in-person interviews

• Infinite combinations of the above

• How to choose?

– Benefits

– Client comfort level

– “Bells and whistles”


• Asynchronous

• Less interaction, less spontaneity

• Greater depth

• More individual opinions and less influence of fellow participants

– But still get some of the synergy of group discussion

• Anonymous

• Geographic dispersion

• Cost savings

Moderator post

Threadedresponses

Online bulletin board focus groups


Online bulletin board focus groups

• Well-suited for:

– Website-related research

– Discussing new concepts

– High-involvement topics


Webcam (video) focus groups

• More interactive than online bulletin board focus groups

– Though still not the same as in-person

• Psychological safety of home or office

– Less “groupthink” than in-person focus groups

• Best of both worlds?


• Costs: not cheap, but save on travel


Webcam (video) focus groups

• Examples:

– Research: reactions to TV ads

– Home use of products


Online chat focus groups

• Moderated discussion conducted online

– Think of a large chat room, with visuals that can change

– Moderator asks questions and probes while the comments scroll down the page

– Clients view the online chat in real-time, and are able to have the moderator ask additional questions, if needed

• Somewhat interactive

• More immediacy

• No dominators

• Simultaneous responses = large amount of data in short amount of time

• Anonymous


• Cost savings


Online chat focus groups• Well-suited for reactions to visuals

and to concepts


Telephone focus groups

• Teleconference

– Can be done as a regular conference call or using an online conference system like WebEx or GoToMeeting, so participants can view stimuli on their computer screens

• More non-verbal communication than online bulletin boards, less than in-person focus groups or webcam focus groups

• Fairly interactive


• Quick and easy to set up

• Cost savings


Telephone focus groups

• Tend to use when webcam focus groups are too expensive or too difficult (e.g., no time to send webcams to respondents)


Desktop sharing

• Can work both ways

• Moderator and clients see respondent’s desktop

– For remote website usability testing

• Respondents and clients see moderator’s desktop

– For telephone focus groups or interviews with visual component

• With or without a webcam

• Providers:

– Webex

– GoToMeeting

– AdobeConnect


Mobile phone (texting) research

• Not just for quant anymore

• Questions asked by text message at pre-determined times over the course of days or weeks

• Immediate

• More natural, researcher has less impact on the behavior being researched


– Learning about behavior (e.g., shopping, watching TV)

– Getting at feelings, emotional reactions


Mobile phone (texting) research

• Examples:

– How PR staffers feel about their work

– Reactions to marketing messages


Online journaling (“immersive research”)

• Participants write their own “blogs”

• Can combine text, photos, video, audio to get at various aspects of the topic being researched

• More natural, researcher has less impact on the behavior being researched

• Can participate at their convenience

– More “in the moment” than an IDI, less than texting

– Provides greater depth than texting


Online journaling (“immersive research”)


– Learning about behavior



Video diaries

• Questions and answers on video – more natural and easier for participants

• Portable video cams enable us to “follow” participants, with minimum observer impact

• Participants don’t have to write and organize thoughts, can speak spontaneously

• Rich visuals for report


Video diaries


– Learning about behavior as it happens (“day in the life”)


• Examples:

– P&G research about morning routines

– Midas customer research


Social media

• Still finding our way – proceed with caution!

– Many consider Facebook and MySpace to be very personal forums.

• Can temporarily connect to (“friend”) respondents.

– This provides a deeper and more candid view of the person than is available otherwise.

• Data mining opportunities.


Market research online communities

• Large group of people recruited to a private online platform to participate in a variety of research activities over time.

• Uses:

– Co-innovation: involving customers in the product development process.

– Identifying trends: participants recruited for MROC’s are engaged, creative types of people who tend to be at the forefront of trends.

– Longitudinal input: obtain information over the whole course of the decision-making process, or input about product use over time.

– Speed: answers can be available in days rather than weeks.


So how to choose?


Decision process: start here

Are people with

broadband internet representative of

the target?

Is confidentiality

absolutely essential?

Yes

No

No

Yes

Can’t use remote or online methods (except telephone focus groups and IDI’s)

Can consider online methods

Can’t use remote or online methods


Decision process: variables to consider

Time • Does your research need to happen in real time, extended time, or some of each?

Geography • Do you need to include just one or a few cities, or multiple regions or countries? Or people in remote areas?

Individuals or groups • Do you need individual interaction, group interaction, or some of each?

Top-of-mind or in-depth • Do you need input that's top-of-mind/ visceral/immediate, or in-depth/ thoughtful/ reflective, or some of each?

Comfort • Will target participants be able and willing to participate in the methods you're considering?

Senses • What will participants need to see, smell, hear, touch, or taste?

Communications • Will participants be most comfortable expressing themselves in speech, writing, or other ways?

Client involvement • When/where/how do clients need to observe or engagewith the research while it's in progress?

Unobtrusive or engaged • Do you need methods that enable qualitative researchers to be unobtrusive, highly engaged, or both?

Techniques • Are there specific qualitative techniques you need to use (image sorting, laddering, mini-breakouts, montages, etc.)?

Output • What evidence or documentation will you need to communicate key learning effectively -- Verbatims? Visuals? Videos? Other?


Decision process: qualitative options


Decision process – also consider:

• Client comfort level

• Savings in travel cost, time


Summing up

• “Selling” new techniques to clients

• Consider a combination


Thank you

• Jay Zaltzman

• Bureau West - Market Research & Marketing Strategy

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