“ Why do we need training to run focus groups? Anyone with simple people skills can ask the questions, keep order, and keep things moving along” I’ll tell you 10 reasons why......

10 reasons why you need training if you are going to do qualitative market research 10

10 reasons why you need training if you are going to do qualitative market research

1 Before you start, you have to establish how your research process is going to meet the needs of the client in order to produce findings that are robust, not misleading, and usable. Even if the client is yourself.

2 So you need to know the benefits and drawbacks of various research methodologies And how people respond to them, to set them up to incentivise and manage your respondents. And what’s most cost effective.

2 So you need to know the benefits and drawbacks of various research methodologies

And how

people respond to them,

to set them up

to incentivise and manage your respondents.

And what’s most cost effective.

Don’t forget to cover the emotional, social, organisational and cultural….

Oh, and consider the Data Protection implications of what you plan to do, let alone ethics and Codes of Conduct. Even if you are not a Member of any Research Organisation a complaint about misuse of personal data can get you into legal hot water.

If you think a topic guide is just a list of questions you are wrong. It has to help you manage spontaneity, creativity, argument, diversity and negativity. And help you find the information you need . 4

If you think a topic guide is just a list of questions you are wrong.

It has to help you manage spontaneity, creativity, argument, diversity and negativity.

And help you find the information you need .

“ No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.” Henry Adams

“ No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.”

Henry Adams

5 Trained interviewers know when to take things literally and when to look for something else. Qualitative interviewing is depth interviewing – designed to go beyond the first, superficial layer of how people present themselves. IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE AT FACE VALUE, DO A QUESTIONNAIRE .

5

Trained interviewers know when to take things literally and when to look for something else. Qualitative interviewing is depth interviewing – designed to go beyond the first, superficial layer of how people present themselves.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE PEOPLE AT FACE VALUE,

DO A QUESTIONNAIRE .

Stored, relatively unprocessed imagery The habitual The cultural The illogical or unreasonable The emotional Justifications, distortions, defences Archetypes, myths and dreams Some of the stuff you’ll have to elicit and interpret:

Stored, relatively unprocessed imagery

The habitual

The cultural

The illogical or unreasonable

The emotional

Justifications, distortions, defences

Archetypes, myths and dreams

Interviews are based on words, which only define a part of our psyche. An interviewer needs a broad range of tools and techniques to be able to apply ‘informed eclecticism’ for those tricky issues that people can’t or won’t talk about. And at the same time an inbuilt b*******t detector to notice when time is being wasted with gripes, smokescreens and red herrings.

Interviews are based on words,

which only define a part of our psyche.

An interviewer needs a broad range of tools

and techniques to be able to apply ‘informed

eclecticism’ for those tricky issues that

people can’t or won’t talk about.

And at the same time an inbuilt b*******t

detector to notice when time is being

wasted with gripes, smokescreens and red

herrings.

As a qual interviewer you are in the frame too. Everything you say and do (or don’t do) affects the research . Obviously a huge potential for bias if you don’t understand and manage this. 7

As a qual interviewer you are in the frame too. Everything you say and do (or don’t do) affects the research .

Obviously a huge potential for bias if you don’t understand and manage this.

8 How about managing those ‘difficult respondents’ who could ruin your research? How do you know you haven’t made the situation worse?

8 How about managing those ‘difficult respondents’ who could ruin your research?

How do you know you haven’t made the situation worse?

And its not just process and interpersonal dynamics you have to manage, its group energy (and that includes one-on-ones.) Knowing those little tips and tricks for keeping people engaged, lifting a flagging conversation, quietening down the over-excited. 9

And its not just process and interpersonal dynamics you have to manage, its group energy (and that includes one-on-ones.)

Knowing those little tips and tricks for keeping people engaged, lifting a flagging conversation, quietening down the over-excited.

10 What does it all mean? After the interviewing, there is the analysis and interpretation. How do you extract the significant points from a ton of information? You have to: Trawl with nets of various sizes Look through different lenses Look at social and emotional layers Chunk up to higher levels Build a consistent story Present the important parts in an engaging and motivating way.

After the interviewing, there is the analysis and interpretation. How do you extract the significant points from a ton of information? You have to:

Trawl with nets of various sizes

Look through different lenses

Look at social and emotional layers

Chunk up to higher levels

Build a consistent story

Present the important parts in an engaging and motivating way.

So you have a choice: You can muddle along..... and make your own mistakes

Or you can get some training, learn from the mistakes of others, and get the insight and information you need. Joanna Chrzanowska, FMRS [email_address]