How to conduct a qualitative market research: the main stages
(takes 1 - 3 months depending on the complexity of the research)
Summary
I/ Proposal & contract phase
1. Clarification of problem & objectives
2. Preparation of a research proposal
II/ Planning & preparation phase
3. Preparation of screening questionnaire
4. Preparation of interview/ moderation guideline
5. Preparation of stimulus material & technical equipment
6. Recruiting(= respondent search)
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
Finalresults
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.
