With all the buzz around big data, no wonder you asked.
Qualitative research digs deeper and provides opportunities for richer, more immersive experiences, bringing the consumer to life and helping clients to connect more meaningfully with their target market.
It delves beneath the rational reasons for product and brand choice, uncovering the social and emotive reasons that also affect consumer preferences and behavior. It acknowledges that people don’t always say what they really think or feel, and sometimes aren’t even aware that they behave a certain way, let alone why they do so. Often, what matters most is not what your customer says, but what they don’t say!
The projective and enabling techniques used in qualitative research help in accessing and deciphering fast, intuitive ‘System 1’ thinking, as well as overcoming suppressed attitudes and things that are difficult for people to articulate.
Examples of when qualitative research can help you and your business:
Exploratory studies, e.g. where little is known about the problem area or field under investigation.
Immersive, in situ studies, where there is a desire for a thorough understanding of customers, their day-to-day lives, their interaction with certain products and services including pain points.
Examining relevant or salient behavior patterns, beliefs, opinions, attitudes and motivations.
Identifying, exploring or developing concepts.
Investigating and exploring brand imagery.
Exploring areas for which simple, direct questioning is not suitable, i.e. too personal, sensitive, emotive or embarrassing.
Defining problem areas more fully and formulating hypotheses for further investigation.
Explaining certain points emerging from a major study, without having to repeat it on a large scale.