maximum marks for moderating manual

After putting out a call for some reading recommendations in July, I got some great suggestions and am still wading through them.   But the stand out winner has to be Sarah’s recommendation of Moderating to the Max: A Full-tilt Guide to Creative, Insightful Focus Groups and Depth Interviews. For qualitative research types who want to … Continue reading maximum marks for moderating manual

we’re all doomed…right?

So, the economy is in free fall and we’re all doomed. Right? The quallies at work have been doing a lot of focus groups with Credit Crunched Mums recently. Apparently yes, Mums are being careful and trying to be more frugal – but a lot of them are doing so not because they are very … Continue reading we’re all doomed…right?

Quant is dead, long live Insight?

Interesting client feedback via a Research buddy today – one of their clients had apologised for not putting quantitative work their way recently.  He explained that his role was now more about analysing his own customer data and buying in qualitaitive insight than farming out huge ‘how many and how much’ surveys. If we accept … Continue reading Quant is dead, long live Insight?

when great ads (sometimes) get killed by focus groups

Produced for the New England 2007 Hatch Awards by Arnold, this is a sobering example of why the average focus group stuck in a meeting room and forced to watch an animatic don't necessarily produce the kind of feedback that leads to great creative. In fact, there's a whole other rant here bemoaning the demise of holding groups … Continue reading when great ads (sometimes) get killed by focus groups

when market research met social networking

One of my lovely colleagues in the Research team at work introduced me to Facebook Polls the other day. Having the ability to canvass the opinions of 100 Facebook users for just $26 (complete with online results charts) and to turn it around in just 24 hours is A Good Thing.  Being able to ask Prison … Continue reading when market research met social networking

Shop-Ups and Storegasms

While browsing Trinny and Susannah’s website (for purely professional purposes), I came across this diary entry about sneaking out for a shop up. The idea of formalizing that quick dash to the high street for some top-up retail therapy really appeals to me. I discovered another favourite new word in a focus group I was … Continue reading Shop-Ups and Storegasms