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Research 101:
10 Questions for Smarter Research Decisions
Kathy Deboer
“Where do we begin?” This is a common question when a client comes to us with a potential need for research. Below is a list of ten questions WG team members often walk clients through at the start of a research project to make sure 1) they need to do research and 2) they conduct the most effective and efficient research project for their needs.
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What do I need to know or what do I suspect about my product, service, competition, customers or employees?
The first answer needed is what prompted the initial idea that research may be needed. We need to evaluate the perceived information gap and identify the type of information that would be most useful to bridge the gap.
- Who holds the answers to our questions?
This question helps us narrow the range of possibilities down to the populations that will provide the most insight. The answer to this question often has significant methodological and budget implications.
- What behaviors or attitudes do I want to affect or evaluate?
The next step is to determine whether the ultimate objective of the research involves behaviors or attitudes or both. The specific behaviors or attitudes then need to be clearly outlined so the appropriate methodology is chosen.
- How do I make sure the information is usable or of value?
Many times we need to make a decision between “nice to know” and “need to know” information. Make sure the research methodology and the instrument itself will provide specific, actionable information that will form the platform for the strategic decisions you need to make.
- Do we have any databases that provide any of the information I need?
Many clients are quickly building electronic databases of customers or potential customers. You may be able to “mine” the data you have to create a customer profile that will help with targeted campaigns or make future research efforts more effective. Setting up a plan to periodically up-date or expand existing databases also provides useful baseline information for future research needs.
- Has anyone else captured this information before?
It is always a good idea to conduct an Internet search on the topic you want to research or talk to other departments within your own or similar organizations to find out if they have completed a similar research endeavor. Check with your research supplier (WestGroup, we hope), most of the time they can provide the best insights into the methodologies and approaches most commonly used in each situation.
- What type of information do I need?
This is the age-old qualitative vs. quantitative issue. Quantitative information will provide insights into group similarities or patterns of behavior. A qualitative approach provides more information about individual behaviors or attitudes.
- What is the best way to reach the targeted population?
WestGroup has a full arsenal of research tools available for its clients – mail, telephone, IVR, in-person executive interviews, intercept interviews, shopped studies, focus groups, Internet surveys, etc. Consequently, we need to clearly think through all the population attributes to ensure we are using the best approach to reach them.
- What is the ideal outcome from the research?
Answers to this question will provide direction and focus for all phases of the research process – from design through analysis. The analysis may be a key reaching the idea outcome. A simple cross-tabulation analysis may be easy to sell to your team, but on occasions, slightly more complex (and expensive) techniques can make the data exponentially more powerful.
- Can I do it myself or should we call in WestGroup?
Part of our mission statement is to “partner with our client's management team to help translate information into action” and sometimes being “partner” means providing consulting services and other times it means we conduct the entire project. Regardless of the total extent of our involvement, you know that we are committed to the success of our clients.
