Qualitative recruiting is increasingly looking for needles in haystacks while quality participants are becoming harder to find. Researchers are creating more complex screeners for longer, more complex projects with shorter, less-flexible timelines. Recruiters are using technology and social media to find participants with more specific demographics and from underrepresented groups. Everyone is balancing security and fraud issues while still trying to protect participant privacy and create a positive experience for participants ..read more

For qualitative researchers active listening is a required skill that can be developed. It’s one thing to be a good listener and yet another entirely to listen with rigor and unrelenting focus, all while maintaining genuine curiosity and an open heart, and suspending judgement, biases, and assumptions about what’s being said or about to be said. This type of curious, compassionate listening is critical for developing high-quality insights. But how do we maintain a high level of engagement while listening ..read more

Final in-person purchase decisions are made at the store. A store is the only place where the brand, product, packaging, messaging, pricing, and competitors are all present in one physical location—where shoppers can see and touch the options. Observing the shopper in the store environment is a powerful way to measure the quality of the shopping experience and to gather an understanding of the shopper’s behaviors, preferences, needs and, in some cases, how the environment shapes those behaviors and actions ..read more

Inclusive consumer research paints a rich picture of human behavior by capturing diverse perspectives. It goes beyond the checkboxes and incorporates screening criteria that engage a broader range of respondents, providing a more authentic representation of your audience. Here are 10 actionable tips to build bridges, not barriers, in your next research project ..read more

Are You Ready For Some Football? Are You Ready For Some Ads? According to Ad Age, a 30-second spot for the Super Bowl is going for approximately $7 million. Given all that money, it is critical that the ads have a purpose and a driving strategy, and fits within the overall campaign ..read more

Decision Analyst's Heather Kluter recently attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This annual event is a celebration of groundbreaking advancements in technology. From smart home innovations, and wearables to emerging tech like virtual and augmented reality, CES highlighted the technological tapestry that defines our modern world. Heather has put together a list of innovations and new products she finds inspiring ..read more

The world around us is constantly changing. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global population is aging at a much faster pace than in the past. Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population aged 60 and over will nearly double. Here are 6 megatrends being observed now that will have an impact on your business ..read more

Discussion guide suggestions are easier to create if you are aware of the issues in the industry. A good extra to include in your proposal would be a few questions relevant to the client's goals that you might add to the discussion guide for the project. Your questions might provide the "Aha!" moment that could win the project ― something that neither the smartest 12-year-old in the world nor the biggest-producing cow can do ..read more

In the hands of skillful marketing executives and expert researchers, advertising gives us the power to change the world. Advertising can change feelings, change attitudes, and change behaviors. So, how can a client, advertising agency, and research agency work together to create effective advertising ..read more

Some of the most important qualitative interviews conducted are with medical and clinical professionals. An hour with a teaching hospital oncologist is more difficult to schedule, more expensive than with a consumer. However, conducting qualitative research with healthcare professionals tends to elicit responses such as: “I’m not an art director,” and “I really don’t like these types of interviews,” numerous times. In many cases this subject has garnered eyerolls, sighs, and groans. So, how do you elicit more productive responses from Healthcare professionals ..read more