Editor’s note: Huw Davies is qualitative services manager at U.K. research firm Gillian Kenny Associates.
The battle lines are drawn for a conflict at the heart of qualitative market research, a fight between the old and the new. On the one side is the newcomer, online research – cost-efficient, flexible and with the power to track respondents over time. On the other side are the traditional face-to-face methodologies – tried and tested, effective approaches that boast the personal touch.
The use of online methodologies, particularly research communities, continues to rise as clients and respondents alike accept them as legitimate approaches to primary research.
The movement of travel for the industry may be firmly towards greater use of online research but there are many who are not dazzled by its glitter and continue to rely on well-established methodologies. As with all innovations, it will take time for the final verdict to be reached but, in the meantime, one of the fiercest battles is being fought by the champion from each side – online communities versus focus groups. Both methodologies have their pros and cons but which should market researchers choose?
Online communities continue to offer companies in industries such as health care an impressive range of benefits; they are a cost-effective way to capture insights from respondents (both patients and health care professionals) and track them over time. Size matters when it comes to data, and online communities offer qualitative responses from quantitative sample sizes and communities as large as 1,000 respondents – a figure well beyond the scope of a focus group – can be highly effective market research tools.
Through the use of smartphones and tablets, online communities are increasingly able to log perceptions in real time as respondents record in-the-moment experiences – for example, from patients immediately after a doctor’s visit or from doctors following a treatment decision. The use of video diaries in particular overcomes many of the limitations of online research by putting a face to the respondent as well as allowing emotional responses to be gauged.
In addition to insights from individuals, online communities allow for extensive interactions between members, capturing opinions and experiences from respondents who may not be as forthcoming in a focus groups setting, where stronger personalities can dominate discussions. In front of their computer or smartphone, respondents can be more honest and open in their responses, sharing their personal experiences in vivid and emotional ways.
What’s more, the ongoing nature of online communities allows researchers to track discussions and opinions over time, building a more nuanced view of a patient’s treatment journey or a physician’s decision making process than is possible through a one-off focus group. Online communities are also not constrained by national borders and, when run internationally, cut travel time and costs when compared to running focus groups in multiple countries.
In spite of the formidable armory of online communities, face-to-face focus groups are no pushover in a fair fight. Quite simply, an effectively moderated discussion between a well-screened group of participants can deliver unparalleled insights, as well as helping to put a face to a disease or customer. The moderator’s role is particularly influential, helping to ensure that all respondents take part and offer their own take on a topic. A face-to-face moderator is also able to use the full spectrum of visual and auditory cues to gauge respondents’ emotional reactions and, therefore, guide the discussion.
Focus groups also allow all members of a population to be sampled – participation in online methodologies remains lower amongst older people – and can reduce the potential for dishonesty or misrepresentation that the anonymity of an online group can bring. A focus group also allows a client to be actively involved by watching through a one-way mirror or video feed, which can enable discussion of the research and allow for adjustments in real time.
Inevitably, many clients will opt to carry out their research using multiple methodologies, tailoring this mix to the specific needs of their respondent populations and research goals. Yet, as pressure on budgets continues, driving a never-ending search for more cost-effective methodologies, the rapid advance of technology may well mean that online communities will emerge from the battle victorious.