L1 1.1 10 things you need to know before doing your own qualitative research

1. 10
10 important thoughts -before you do qualitative market research yourself
QualitativeMind,from Genesis Consulting
Joanna Chrzanowska FMRS
www.qualitativemind.com
2. Why do we need training to run focus groups?
Anyone with simple people skills can ask the questions, keep order, and keep things moving along
Ill tell you 10 reasons why......
QualitativeMind from Genesis Consulting
Joanna Chrzanowska FMRS
3. 1 OBJECTIVESBefore you start, you have to establish how your research process is going to meet the needs of the client in order to produce findings that are robust, not misleading, and usable. Even if the client is yourself.
Focus on one research question but make sure you explore the implications and the context.
4. For example:
5. DIY ?
Yes, its faster and cheaper to do your own.
But there is a reason qualitative research costs money and takes time.

You need to find the relevant people to talk to, 6. Motivate them into participating 7. Work out a strategy for getting the information you need 8. Make sure you dont unconsciously bias the results to your favourite option 9. Spend some time working out what the findings mean in practical terms.

And one group isnt a sample.
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11. If you want to understand how a lion hunts, dont go to the zoo; go to the jungle.
Jim Stengel, CMO P&G
12. 2So you need to know the benefits and drawbacks of various research methods.
And how
people respond to them,
to set them up
to incentivise and manage your respondents.
And whats most cost effective.
13. 3
14. Oh, and consider the Data Protection implications of what you plan to do, let alone ethics and Codes of Conduct. Even if you are not a Member of any research organisation a complaint about misuse of personal data can get you into legal hot water.
15. 4
16. 4
If you think a topic guide is just a list of questions you are wrong.
It has to help you manage spontaneity, creativity, argument, diversity and negativity.
And help you find the information you need.
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18. 5
No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.
Henry Adams
19. Sometimes people dont know why they do stuff,
Or, cant explain,
Or, wont explain
Because it makes them look or feel bad.
Qualitative research has lots of tips and techniques to deal with situations like this.
20. Trained interviewers know when to take things literally and when to look for something else.
Qualitative interviewing is depth interviewing designed to go beyond the first, superficial layer of how people present themselves.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE AT FACE VALUE,
DO A QUESTIONNAIRE.
21. Some of the stuff qual can elicit and interpret:
Stored, relatively unprocessed imagery
The habitual, automatic
The cultural
The illogical or unreasonable
The emotional
Justifications, distortions, defences
Archetypes, myths and dreams
And at the same time you need an inbuilt b*******t
detector to notice when time is being
wasted with gripes, smokescreens and red herrings.
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23. 6
As a qual interviewer you are in the frame too. Everything you say and do (or dont do) affects the research.
Obviously a huge potential for bias if you dont understand and manage this.
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25. 7 How about managing those difficult respondents who could ruin your research?
How do you know you havent made the situation worse?
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27. And its not just process and interpersonal dynamics you have to manage, its group energy (and that includes one-on-ones.)
Knowing those little tips and tricks for keeping people engaged, lifting a flagging conversation, quietening down the over-excited.
28. 9
Nearly there
29. Context
The focus group says its got the right benefits, brand values,
a good competitive positioning
But they dont buy it.Because in the real world, their priorities are different.
Maybe its just not that important. Or maybe something else is on offer,
or strategically placed at the checkout.
Maybe you assumed they carefully evaluate features before purchase, but
actually they use an emotional purchasing short cut for those sort of decisions.
Sometimes too much focus is not a good thing to understand the customer
you have to understand what is important in their lives, and what is going
on around them.
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30. 10
10 important thoughts before you do qualitative market research yourself
31. 10What does it all mean?
After the interviewing, there is the analysis and interpretation. How do you extract the significant points from a ton of information?
A and I is a set of processes, questions, checks and balances,that help you
elicit the meaning,
build a solid story
and make usable recommendations.
But it takes time.
32. So when is it safe to DIY?

When its part of an on-going programme that includes independent research and full analysis.. 33. When the output will be subject to further testing or review 34. Simple product or service feedback 35. For disaster checks, comms checks or relatively unimportant but political decisions 36. Toe in the water do they love it or hate it? 37. Consumer closeness, attitude monitoring, building understanding but make sure you have some sort of knowledge capture and dissemination mechanism. Otherwise you have to start all over again when the key people leave..

38. You have a choice:You can muddle along..... and make your own mistakes
39. Or you can get some training, learn from the mistakes of others, and get the insight and information you need.
Joanna Chrzanowska, FMRS
[email protected]
40. Remember ..
A focused research question, but with enough context for understanding
Time for practicalities of sampling and recruitment
Check Code and Data Protection issues
The right method for the job
A topic guide that helps you manage process as well as content
Techniques to help people express themselves
Reflexivity you are part of the research and you can influence it
Techniques to manage difficult respondents
Keeping respondents engaged and managing energy
Analysis and Interpretation

L1 1.1 10 things you need to know before doing your own qualitative research

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