Research Approaches
Quantitative research
Generally a structured approach with a sample of a population to produce quantifiable insights into behaviour, motivations, perceptions and attitudes - commonly to answer “Who? Which? Where? When?”
Qualitative research
Generally a semi- or un-structured approach with a small sample of carefully selected individuals from a population to produce non-quantifiable insights into behaviour, motivations, perceptions and attitudes - commonly to answer “Why? How?”
Desk Research
Insight and understanding gained from pre-existing information sources internal, and external, to organisations such as databases, reports, publications and online sources
Research Methodologies
Focus/Discussion Groups
Revealing in-depth insights generated by the interaction of individuals in moderated group discussions – frequently surprising, always valuable
Face-to-face interviews
One-to-one depth interviews to gather in-depth information – particularly where complex, sensitive or perhaps requiring visual stimulus
Telephone interviews
Cost effective yet in-depth interviewing especially for widely dispersed audiences
On-street and exit interviews
Cost-effective, typically higher volume quantitative, interviews conducted with respondents in relatively uncontrolled environments
Hall tests
Research undertaken at a central hall or similar venue in a controlled environment particularly suited to product, packaging and advertising development
Postal self-completion
Widely accessible and allowing considered self-completion responses to surveys by post
Online self-completion
Rapidly developing channel to conduct cost-effective self-completion surveys via email or website hosting
Panels
Managing a consistent panel of respondents sampled from a population to conduct on-going research over a period time – typically comparative and product/service development
Mystery shopping
Customer experience monitoring from all customer touchpoints in person, by phone, online and more