Qualitative Research

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Qualitative Research
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Qualitative Research

• Researcher makes elaborate interpretations of
  market phenomena without depending on numerical
  measurements.
• Researcher dependent
• Highly subjective
• Preliminary results
• Innovative results

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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
Research Aspect Qualitative Quantitative
Purpose Discover ideas Test hypotheses
Approach Observe interpret Measure test
Data Collection Unstructured Structured
Researcher Involvement w/ study subjects Intimately involved Uninvolved observer
Samples Small Large
Used in Exploratory research Conclusive research
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Common Qualitative Techniques

• Focus Group Interviews
• Small group discussions
• In-depth Interviews
• 1-on-1 probing discussion
• Word Association / Sentence Completion
• Recording 1st thoughts after exposure to a
  stimulus
• Collages
• Respondent assembles pictures that represent
  his/her thoughts/feelings
• Cartoon Tests
• Respondent tells a story based on an ambiguous
  picture

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Conducting Focus Group Interviews
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Focus Group Interviews

• Unstructured, free-flowing interviews with small
  groups of people.
• Consists of
• Moderator or interviewer
• 6 to 10 participants
• Note taker
• Moderator introduces topic and encourages group
  members to discuss the subject amongst
  themselves.
• Allow people to discuss their true feelings in
  their own words

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Advantages of Focus Group Interviews

• Relatively fast
• Easy to execute
• Inexpensive
• Numerous topics can be discussed (unlike surveys)
• Multiple insights can be gained

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Drawbacks of Focus Group Interviews

• Require sensitive and effective moderators
• Without such, self-appointed participants may
  dominate a session
• Halo effect on attitudes toward the concept or
  topic of discussion may occur, if group reacts
  negatively to a dominant member
• Participants may not be representative of the
  population of interest.

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Requirements for Effective Focus Groups

• Six to ten participants
• Carefully screen participants
• Want people who have knowledge about the topic at
  hand
• Homogeneous participants in terms of some
  characteristic under study
• Relaxed atmosphere
• If possible, room with one-way mirror and audio-
  and video-recording capabilities
• Session duration around one hour
• Trained moderator
• Compensate for participation

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7 Habits of Effective Moderators

• Establish personal contact with each respondent
  early
• Help respondents feel relaxed early on
• Win respondents to your side
• Deal with loud respondents but dont intimidate
  other respondents
• Dont look at them when you ask questions
• Dont acknowledge their raised hands
• Deal with inconsistent, unclear answers by
  mobilizing the group to help
• Create an environment where anything a respondent
  wants to say is acceptable
• Dont assume you know what a respondent means by
  an ambiguous answer

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When NOT to use Focus Groups

• Emotionally charged environment
• Researcher has lost control over critical aspects
  of the study
• Statistical projections are needed
• Other methodologies can produce better quality
  information
• Other methodologies can produce more economical
  information of the same quality
• Researcher cannot ensure the confidentiality of
  sensitive information

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Types of Focus Group Questions

• Opening Question
• Round robin question
• Designed to be answered rather quickly
• Designed to identify characteristics participants
  have in common
• Preferably factual (rather than attitude or
  opinions)
• Introductory Question
• Introduce general topic of discussion
• Key Questions
• 2 to 5 max
• The questions you really want answers to
• Ending Questions
• Bring closure to the discussion. Most common is
  the summary question

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Some Things to Consider

• Avoid Dichotomous Questions
• Questions answerable with a yes or no
• Avoid asking Why
• Has a sharpness or pointedness that reminds one
  of interrogations
• Asked Uncued Questions first Cued Questions
  second
• Uncued Open-ended usually based on recent
  experiences or impressions
• Cued Questions that specify some topic or aspect
  of a topic