How to conduct a qualitative market research: the main stages

(takes 1 - 3 months depending on the complexity of the research)

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Research brief from the client​

What do we need?​

Ideally, the briefing:​

  • includes a clear definition of the problematic & the research objectives​
  • gives an idea of how much time & money is available for the research​
  • provides an understanding how the client will use the results and why they need the research​

I/ Proposal & contract phase

(takes 1 - 5 business days depending on the complexity of the research, i.e. number of countries involved, number of products/concepts/ideas tested, etc.)

1. Clarification of problem & objectives

(1-2 hours briefing with the client)

Discussing with the client all the information necessary to prepare a relevant research proposal: ​

  • details of the marketing problem that needs to be investigated and the main prerequisites for conducting the research​
  • a deep understanding of the purpose and objectives of the research​
  • maximum information about the target audience​
  • how the research results will be implemented ​
  • expected timeframe & relevant deadlines for the research​

IMPORTANT FOR US:​

  • Clear understanding of the client's needs in this research

2. Preparation of a research proposal

(1-5 business days)

The research proposal includes a description (as discussed before) of:​

  • background of the research​
  • marketing and research objectives​
  • research method (in-depth interviews / focus groups / observations / ethnographic interviews, etc.)​
  • target audience, sample & quotas (number of interviews / focus groups / observations, how many men & women, different age groups, buyers/ user of specific products/ brands, etc.)​
  • format of the results to be provided (video/audio recordings, transcripts, top-line results, analytical report, presentation)​
  • research schedule and cost​
  • research team from our side​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To meet the client's needs, timeframe & budget​
  • To choose the relevant methodology

Commissioning by the client​

What are the next steps?​

  • The client receives a PDF file in English, French or German.​
  • If we are awarded the contract, Phase 2 will be initiated.

II/ Planning & preparation phase

(takes 10 - 15 business days depending on the complexity of the research, i.e. number of countries involved, online or face-to-face, single or mixed methods approach, etc.)

3. Preparation of the screening questionnaire

(2-3 business days)

It includes:​

  • preparation of a screening questionnaire for selecting respondents, considering all characteristics of the target audience:​
  • socio-demographic characteristics ​
  • brand/product usage profile (users/non-users/potential users/refusers, etc.)​
  • other important characteristics (lifestyle, life values, etc.)​
  • client approves the screener​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To be very careful with the screener preparation to consider all the criteria, we will be looking at the wrong target group

4. Preparation of the interview/ moderation guideline

(4-5 business days)

It includes:​

  • preparation of a guideline for conducting in-depth interviews or focus groups, for the moderation of an online diary or special instructions for observation​
  • translation of all documents into local languages (if necessary)​
  • client approves all documents​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To create a guideline following all the standards of qualitative research ​
  • To use projective techniques and other exercises in the guideline that are relevant to the research objectives and target audience ​
  • To take into account the length of interviews/focus groups when creating the guideline

5. Preparation of stimulus material & technical equipment

(4-5 business days)

It includes:​

  • preparation of all stimulus material, if any​
  • translation of all documents into local languages (if necessary)​
  • client approves all documents​
  • check what technical equipment you need for fieldwork and make sure everything is working properly​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To make sure to use high resolution images for online stimulus material​
  • To make sure material is delivered on time and in good condition in case of face-to-face fieldwork​
  • To make sure to include relevant competitors, e.g. for a clustering exercise

6. Recruiting (= respondent search)​

(5-10 business days)

It includes:​

  • search for respondents who meet the screening criteria​
  • selection of the most relevant participants (good communicators, etc.)​
  • explanation of all rules & procedures for participation in interviews/ focus groups​
  • scheduling & sending of links for online meeting participation or clarification of face-to-face meeting requirements​
  • re-checking the availability of participants before fieldwork start (prior to their appointment)​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To be very careful with the selection and to check the participant profiles prior to the group/ interview in order to identify people who do not sufficiently meet the research objectives and/or selection criteria

III/ Fieldwork phase

(takes a few business days to several weeks depending on the complexity of the research, i.e. number & length of interviews/groups, number of countries involved, time difference, etc.)

7. Pilot phase​

(1-2 business days)

It includes:​

  • conducting 1-2 pilot interviews / 1 pilot focus group / 2-3 observation cases ​
  • possible modification of data collection protocols (guideline, stimulus)​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To find all errors/weaknesses in research documents to prevent irrelevant research results​
  • To check feasibility (for instance, does the guideline correspond to the planned duration of the interviews? Is the observation doable in the given real-life context?)

8. Interviewing/ moderation & written transcripts​

(3-10 business days)

It includes:​

  • conducting fieldwork, i.e. interviews/focus groups, etc.​
  • preparation of all video/audio files ​
  • documentation within the framework of data protection regulations​
  • preparation of all transcripts

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To involve an experienced person in moderation to avoid receiving irrelevant information or missing information​
  • Do not be afraid to make changes to the guideline/stimulus if it turns out that something is not working or is not working correctly​
  • To check the quality of the transcripts to avoid mistakes in transcribing and misunderstandings

IV/ Delivery of results​

(takes 10 - 15 business days depending on the complexity of the research, i.e. number of countries involved, number of products/concepts/ideas tested, etc.)

9. Debriefing  among the expert team to extract preliminary hypothesis

(half-day session)

It includes:​

  • obtaining the main wishes and requirements from the client regarding the future analytical report​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To be in line with the client’s expectations​
  • We do not draw conclusions about the research at this stage and do not make recommendations - this requires more in-depth analysis

10. Content analysis & full reporting

(10-15 business days)

It includes:​

  • sometimes: preparation of top line results - a brief information about the main results & preliminary conclusions. It is provided before the full analytical report if the client urgently needs some information.​
  • analysis of all transcripts and search for answers to research questions​
  • key insights on the research topic​
  • clear conclusions ​
  • relevant & efficient recommendations on the research objectives​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To prepare a report in the format required by the client​
  • To include all information required by the client​
  • To cover all the relevant research objectives, but avoid a report that is too complex and overloaded​
  • To have a clear and logical story in the report: the main idea identified/key message received, a clear structure, consistent content and high-quality visuals to support it

11. Presentation of results​

(1-2 hours)

It includes:​

  • often before the presentation: preparing a separate document with all the insights and key results. For a 1-2-hour presentation, there should be no more than 35-40 slides with the most important information.​
  • the presentation of the results (F2F or online)​
  • answers to all client questions about the research results​
  • receiving feedback from clients on the results ​

IMPORTANT FOR US: ​

  • To present the results in a professional and engaging way and to deliver information clearly and convincingly​
  • To check the technical equipment in advance to avoid technical problems during the presentation​
  • To discuss the presentation format with the client in advance and choose the information that will be most important to the client​
  • To take into account all the client's comments and requirements during the presentation, and afterwards make all the changes to the report and prepare the final version of the report

Final​results​

What will the client receive?​

  • A full analytical report in:​

English/ French/ German​

Upon request of the client:​

  • Transcripts of all interviews/focus groups​
  • Video/audio recordings in accordance with data protection regulations (GDPR)​
  • Photos of respondents' creative works and all artefacts: collages, clustering, mapping, consumers’ homes, etc.