Editor’s note: Linda Binder is senior vice president and moderator-consultant at Primary Insights, a Lisle, Ill., research firm.

Homework: it was easy to hate it when we were young and in school. But now, as qualitative consultants, it is easy to see the value of homework when used for the right studies at the right time.

Homework refers to assignments given to respondents to be completed outside of the qualitative sessions. Homework is used quite often in longitudinal studies or those in which respondents return for multiple sessions. It can also offer great value in more traditional qualitative studies when assigned to respondents at the time of recruit - with the agreement it will be completed before the participants come to the qualitative sessions.

This type of pre-session homework is most beneficial for exploratory projects when there is no need to mask the topic and the purpose of the project is to explore attitudes, beliefs, habits and practices. Homework allows respondents to think about the topic before they come in - interviewing others or re-living experiences as necessary. For example, we have asked respondents to…

  • visit stores when examining shopping habits at major mass merchandisers;
  • conduct mock purchases of antiperspirants when exploring purchasing habits and practices relating to deodorants;
  • develop brand imagery collages;
  • reflect on key experiences related to antibacterial products;
  • observe and interview family members as they perform habitual tasks, such as washing dishes or diapering babies.

Pre-session homework offers many benefits to clients as it enhances the study in several key ways:

  • It essentially lengthens the groups. Time-intensive techniques such as collages might be assigned as homework, which frees up valuable time during the session. It also allows respondents to get warmed up to the topic even before they enter the room.
  • It increases the involvement of respondents.

— By investing some quiet time thinking about a topic before being put on the spot, respondents often volunteer a greater breadth and depth of thoughts and feelings.

— Respondents also seem more committed to their points of view and less likely to quietly acquiesce to the thoughts of others in the group.

— They enter the room ready to talk. Their investment in the homework makes them willing to share. They want to show others what they have accomplished.

  • It seems to allow the group to gel more quickly. The homework represents a shared experience. Group participants are intrigued to find out what others have discovered and developed.
  • Show rates seem to be greater when homework has been assigned. People are more likely to attend the session after completing homework because they: are more familiar with the study and have a better sense of what is going on and what will be discussed; and already have some investment in the process.

There are some things to consider when assigning homework.

  • Facilities should know up front that respondents will be asked to do pre-session work. Incentives increase commensurate with the time required by the respondent to complete the task. (Homework generally takes 10 to 30 minutes for in-home work and 90 minutes for away-from-home “outings.”)
  • Respondents should commit to homework as part of the screening process.
  • Assignments need to be given and/or sent at the time of recruit to give respondents plenty of time to work on them.
  • Instructions should be clear and concise. The homework should look inviting. After all, this is respondents’ first introduction to the study.
  • If possible, respondents should be given alternative ways to convey their thoughts via homework. For example, in one study, participants were asked to recall a meaningful past experience relating to fragrances. They were told they could develop a collage, write a story or draw a picture as a means to describe this experience. This choice allowed them to use the technique with which they were most comfortable.
  • Time must be allowed to discuss homework during the session. Respondents have invested their time, and that should acknowledged. However, the amount of session time spent discussing homework must be managed by the moderator-consultant in keeping with objectives and discussion-guide flow.

Another way

Homework is a qualitative tool that allows respondents another way to bring their unique insights and personality into the session. It enhances the process and, as a result, increases the value of the research. It should be considered, when appropriate, as a part of the qualitative process.