GETTING INTIMATE
It’s engagement, but is it research?
Alex JohnstonAbstract
The research industry is constantly looking to develop more techniques and approaches to try and get closer to the truth and to generate insight. Our argument is that even when we use a great technique the truth that it is trying to communicate can often be lost or ignored by decision makers because they have not engaged with the research.
- We will explore why engaging decision makers is becoming increasingly difficult
- We would argue that engagement approaches are needed to both ensure that important findings are fully absorbed and bring decision makers closer to their customers
- The paper would continue with a critique of certain approaches we have used covering both benefits and limitations, and possible applications
- It would then discuss the following potentially contentious issues:
- How should video be used? Is it right to ask respondents to repeat things that they’ve said straight to camera?
- In some projects is it more important get internal clients to engage with respondents than to conduct ‘real’ research?
- Is ‘research-tainment’ both philosophically and practically an area where the market research industry should be active? Or is it already active in it?
Alex Johnston
Alex started his career in 1991. Since then, Alex has researched a variety of sectors and issues, and now focuses on technology and the public sector.
He works in both quantitative and qualitative, and is especially interested in getting more out of qualitative approaches (whether it’s more insight or using qualitative approaches for different things).
Alex has presented at various conferences. He's won best paper at the BIG conference twice and won the 2006 Market Research Society Excellence and Effectiveness award for Best Business Paper.
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