This time around, results show that larger research companies are leading the charge when it comes to adopting mobile research techniques and, in spite of all the industry buzz, online communities have not yet taken off.
This iteration of the annual survey of research software users added questions on social media usage and deployment of sample routers and found that CATI seems to be holding its own.
The annual study of research software users finds curious levels of resistance toward smartphone-using respondents and a growing need for skilled data visualizers.
The authors used online qualitative research to test several facets of a proposed public-service campaign aimed at getting teens to stop using the phrase “That’s so gay.” Respondents created and posted photo-journals, evaluated potential celebrity spokespeople, reacted to ad concepts and offered insights on how to motivate teens without coming across as preachy.
The division of labor between research vendors and research clients can sometimes be a detriment to a research project, as the client's knowledge of the industry is underutilized. The author suggests that in certain cases, greater insight can be gathered through increased client participation.
Two decades’ worth of data from the Quirk’s circulation database is examined to discover what shifts have taken place in the research industry - including the advent of online and the latest economic crisis - and to predict where it might be headed.
Web 2.0, characterized by more consumer-generated content and more interaction between and among Web users and Web sites, has affected some forms of qualitative research and forced research providers to adapt accordingly.
The author offers 16 tips for improving online moderating, from ways to encourage and enhance respondent communication to how to deal with problem respondents and what conversation styles work best in the online setting.
The authors offer several suggestions for maximizing research budgets during tough times, including eliminating projects that don’t add value, changing methodologies and using free or low-cost Web-based resources to keep tabs on the competition.
The KidsCom.com edutainment Web site used online research with a panel of kids to help refine a series of characters who inhabit the site. The characters’ personalities and traits were examined and rated.
With many methods available, each with its own pros and cons, determining which form(s) of online qualitative to use - from bulletin boards to communities - comes down to a matter of project needs.
The author focuses on how qualitative and quantitative methods can be used to test Web site usability. Both families of methods have their pros and cons and researchers may have to use hybrid approaches to get the information they need.
Conducting commercial quantitative research in China presents methodological and cultural issues that either don’t exist or that have already been solved in Western society. Researchers must take heed in this relatively-virgin territory and adapt their strategies to cater to China’s unique circumstances.
Based on a case study of a Fortune 500 telecom company, the article outlines the difficulties of moving a phone survey to the Web. Specific tips are offered, including paying close attention to sampling, running a parallel test, and keeping questionnaires brief.
Thinking about commissioning some online qualitative? Moderator Judy Langer answers some common questions, exploring how and when various approaches can be used, the client’s role in the process and offering tips on selecting a moderator.
In the second part of a two-part series on online surveys with physicians, the authors explore doctors’ reasons for participating in the research process and examine the factors that can lead to speeding and cheating.
In part one of a two-part article addressing gamification, the author discusses gamification theory and the several different methods marketing researchers can use to increase the enjoyment and feedback quality from surveys.
