The document discusses how to effectively turn research insights into informed decisions through methodologies such as qualitative and quantitative research, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration and clarity in research objectives. It outlines techniques for decision-making, including workshops and mixed methods, and addresses the limitations of each research type. The document stresses the significance of ethical decision-making and the need for transparency and alignment among stakeholders throughout the research process.

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CHASING RABBITS:
Turning Research Insights Into
Informed Decisions
LAUREN ISAACSON
Research Director, Curio Research
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Typical Research Consultant Handoff
Work is done. Goodbye.

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Now What?
Paralysis of choice

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Quantitative vs. Qualitative
How much vs. Why

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Quantitative vs. Qualitative
How much vs. Why

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You Are a Clever Fox
What’s for dinner?

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You Are a Clever Fox
What’s for dinner?

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HOW DO YOU DECIDE?
NOT EVERY INSIGHT IS WORTH PURSUING
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Quant and Qual for Innovation
Going back to the double diamond
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The Double Diamond of Innovation
Diverge and Converge
Diverge Diverge
Converge Converge

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Primary Methodological Roles
Doesn’t mean they can’t do both
Qualitative Quantitative
Increases Options
Broadens Focus
Prioritizes Options
Narrows Focus
Answers “Why”
Questions
Answers “How Much”
Questions

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The Double Diamond of Research
Diverge and Converge
Qualitative Qualitative
Quantitative Quantitative

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Discerning Consumption
Recognize quality research
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OPTION 01
OPTION 01
OPTION 01
OPTION 01
OPTION 01
Challenges
Alignment
Knowns
Clarity
Expectations Set expectations early. What are the
objectives and anticipated outcomes?
Prepare to have your assumptions
challenged without generating animosity.
What format will the report be delivered?
Slide deck, comic book, video clips,
podcast?
Make time to align the team on the goals,
project requirements, and insight
interpretation.
What is already known about the subject?
There’s little use in confirming what is
already established as fact.
Research Quality is a Process
Not a single event or deliverable

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Different Standards of Quality
Don’t assess using the same criteria
Qualitative Quantitative
Answers “Why”
Questions
Answers “How Much”
Questions
Qual and quant are fundamentally different and should not be
expected to provide the same kinds of data.

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The researcher communicates competency and
expertise, and their resume denotes the same.
Experience
The research was conducted with people who
specifically match the target criteria.
Intentional recruiting/sampling
The questions are thoughtful and non-leading. Broad
for qual and specific for quant.
Smart questions
The researcher involved the team at every stage of
the research process. No surprises.
Transparency
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NO TADA MOMENTS
RESEARCHERS ARE SKILLED PROFESSIONALS, NOT MAGICIANS
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It’s easy to take the data at
face value or interpret it
through your own lens of
experience in a way that
may not be true.
Misinterpretation
You can only ask about
what you already know.
There’s little opportunity
for surprises or novelty.
Limits New Learning
AI is still a new technology.
It is often wrong and fails
to detect nuance.
AI is New/Inaccurate
Surveys can only assess
what is currently happening.
To see upcoming
opportunities and challenges
it pays to talk to people.
Lagging Indicator
Limitations of Quant Research
It’s all about the numbers

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Soft Results
You don’t get the
perceived benefit
of numbers to
show size and
scope of insights.
Time Consuming
Needs weeks or
more to
synthesize results,
while surveys only
needs days.
Limited Certainty
Are you only
seeing part of the
picture or
overemphasize
edge instances?
Difficult to Repeat
A lot of qual factors
are dependent on
context.
Limitations of Qual Research
It’s all about what they say

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Decision Methods
Beyond gut feelings
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Workshop the
research insights
• Ask the researcher to workshop the insights
with the team.
• Invite all of the major stakeholders to attend.
• Budget 2+ hours of time for presentation
delivery, discussion, and collaborative
activities.
• Ask “How might we…” questions based on the
findings of the research.
• Bring all of the solutions together and come to
a consensus on short term, medium, and long
term goals based on the workshop outcomes.

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Mixed Methods:
Qual then quant
• Qualitative research can yield a lot of
insights. How do you prioritize the
findings?
• Pick your most promising findings and
commission a survey of your customers or
the general population to which are
experienced by the most people.
• Qualitatively concept test potential
solutions to the issue and see what
resonates the strongest with the target
population.

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Mixed Methods:
Quant then qual
• You did a survey and found out a lot of
your customers experience X, or your
analytics team is noticing an odd customer
behaviour.
• Do a qualitative study with the target
population to find out why X is happening.
• Qualitatively concept test potential
solutions to the problem or do another
survey to further narrow the options.

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Opportunity Mapping
It’s all about the upper right quadrant
High UX Impact
Low UX Impact
Easy Execution
Difficult Execution
Do Now
Put it on the
product roadmap
Why are you
even looking
over here?
Maybe?

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Options Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Factor 4 Total Score
A 1 2 (x2) 3 4 (x5) 28
B 2 3 (x2) 4 5 (x5) 37
C 3 4 (x2) 5 0 (x5) 16
D 4 5 (x2) 0 1 (x5) 19
E 5 0 (x2) 1 2 (x5) 16
F 0 1 (x2) 2 3 (x5) 19
G 1 2 (x2) 3 4 (x5) 28
Decision Matrix Analysis
Your great subtitle in this line
• Assign a score of 0 (poor) to 5 (excellent) to each option for each factor.
• Multiply the score by the relative importance of each factor. 1 (not important) to 5 (very important).
• Add up the scores for each option and the one with the most points wins.
MindTools

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CREATE THRESHOLD
DIMENSIONS
What factors matter up
to a point? What is that
point?
ESTABLISH TRADE
BUDGETS
What is the
relationship/value
between factors?
IGNORE
DIMENSIONS
Eliminate factors
that do not
matter.
Simplify the Decision
It’s easy to get stuck in the weeds of
complex decisions. How do you pull out
the weeds?
• Get rid of factors that don’t matter or are
similar across options.
• What are the table stakes? What has to
present to be worth pursuing?
• What factors are you willing to have less
of so you can have more of something
else?
Rushabh Doshi, The Startup

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Get the facts
Step 2
Make a decision
and test it
Step 4
Recognize an
ethical issue
Step 1
Evaluate
alternative actions
Step 3
Act and reflect
on the outcome
Step 5
Ethical Decision Framework
Profit should not be the only motive
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

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THANK YOU
LAUREN ISAACSON
@CURIO_RESEARCH
CURIORESEARCH.NET
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