This 20-minute webinar power point is part of iModerate's Coffee Break Webinar Series. The presentation is a call to arms of sorts for researchers to add qualitative research to quantitative research through a hybrid approach. The presentation also looks at some popular hybrid methods. This is best viewed with the audio as a recording at http://www.imoderate.com/cms_images/file_308.wmv
7. What is Hybrid? A combination of online quantitative and qualitative methodologies that are used concurrently Rising Popularity83% said that they were somewhat or very familiar with hybrid research 75% of the researchers have personally used hybrid approaches 30% rely on it for some or most of their projects Quant Qual
8. Hybrid Research Uses “We didn’t understand why a certain concept had won in the quant—it was not a good fit for the brand. Follow up qual revealed that consumers liked the ad, but that it didn’t send the message we were after.”
11. The consumers’ voice helps back up the data“Clients want more than numbers—the information presented to them needs to not have such a sterile feel. [Hybrid] adds color/texture to inform decision making at the higher levels.”
20. Cost-effective & quicker than doing it separate“Since the economy is strained right now, businesses have to get "it right" the first time. Therefore, the more detail you can get straight from the horse's mouth the better.”
They already work hard for you: They are quick, inexpensive, simple, and give you access to respondents around the worldWe wish they could solve all of our problems, but they do have their limitations
As researchers we have always felt something was missingDifficulty engaging respondents Identify consumer narrative (Nuance) Complete story
You need to make magic out of your research every time by giving the full picture and coming to the table with something memorable and actionableAs clients continue demand more of research and researchers, we are expected to be superheros
One way to consider achieving this superhero status would be to, add a little qual to your quant. Used to be a big undertaking. Hybrid research used to be clunky, expensive and difficult. Today the game is changing fast. Easy to integrate online hybrid approaches are available, and there are ones to suit a variety of needs.So you’re out of excuses.
If you decide to hook up, what does it look like? We did a study with hybrid practitioners last year to get their thought on what hybrid is, the applications and benefits. Some practitioners defined hybrid more broadly, and just said it was a mix of qual and quant, some also said it was simply a mix of approachesWe can say this, Hybrid is here to stay. Barriers to use such as high price, extended timelines and the complexity of blending approaches have gone by the wayside
The practitioners we spoke with found hybrid (qual) well suited for projects that rely heavily on emotion, oneswhich seek to determine how consumers think, feel and react to different situations. In idea-driven projects such as ad and concept tests, for example, researchers often struggle to make sense of quantitative data. While the numbers might tell them that their respondents “like” an ad or that it is “meaningful,” it is difficult to know what consumers really mean. Discover the Why Behind the What…Why do they like what they like about it, why is that meaningful and what message is it sending? Why you might need a Hybrid Solution: WisdomStory EngagementEfficiency
Let’s take a look at some of the needs (benefits) of an effective Hybrid approach…This quote is great. Numbers can only tell you so much, and without explanation they can lead you down the wrong path.We have many clients here who refer to our hybrid solution as the ultimate tie-breaker. Whenever quant metrics on two different ads or concepts are close, the qual is ideal for shedding more light.
First, data – all by itself – doesn’t promote action. It doesn’t immediately tell you anything. Second, stories really help bring research to life. Often times, the people most involved with the execution of the job are not the stakeholders who will use the information to take action. They didn’t actually participate in the research process hands-on and therefore aren’t familiar with the granular nuggets that create the compelling ah-ha’s. Next, the story sparks emotion. As humans we crave emotional connections to things. Stories help create these connections and allow us to forge relationships with the information presented to us. Stories live on. A good story will be with an organization for years, whereas data points will get buried over time. Language of consumers. In n Out?
Study we did for an auto company, wanted to test new ads for an SUVQuant data revealed that the vehicle was reliable.This was true across both moms and men. However, the qual or chats revealed reliability means two very different things to these two groupsQuant data, open ends in particular pointed to the fact that one of the main things the ad conveyed was that the car seemed reliable. This stretched across both of the groups surveyed (moms and men) However, the chats revealed that reliability mean two very different things to these two groupsOften times an effective Hybrid approach gives you the proper context for accurate insights
Simply put, we are killing our survey respondentsEngaging survey designs, flash, card sorters only take you so farLive engagement can add a whole new dimensionMight be adding more time for respondents, but you are giving them a voice and they will love you for itAdding a little more investment (time on the respondents end) can lead to deeper insights and a more compelling and refreshing interaction
Got 1 shot to get things right, and now is your time. Many world class tools are now ‘plug and play’ with your quant design, so get on board. In this day and age how likely is it that you are going to come out of the field with questions, then get more budget and time to do more rounds of research to clarify the original findings?Going from one approach to another approach ad platform to platform is tedious. Also, insight can get lost into translationA few hybrid tools are agnostic. They allow you to pug into whatever online data collection piece you are using
Here are some questions you need to ask yourself to help you choose the right approach. Some of these are more strategic in nature and some are tacticalOther questions…Do I need blended insight?What type of budget/timeframe am I working in?Do I want software or do I need a service component?
The fact is you can bolt on virtually any qualitative tool (one-on-ones, FG, OFG, BBFG, Video chats, etc…) to your quant and you’re well on your way.But over the past few years, a few all-in-one solutions have risen to the top which make hybrid a whole lot easier…All of these link qual and quant fairly seamlesslyOnline survey with chatReal-time, one on one, sequential hybrid.offers anonymity, sparks candorQuick and cost effectiveGreat for probing on a few key points to clarify and strengthen the quantNo pre-recruiting, no impacting of field time, survey agnosticDownside: Only about 15 minutes of qual so you aren’t going to get the qual depth you would get from adding on a FG to a survey or something of that natureLive Research Study that Combines Intermittent quant and qualLive, sequential hybridNeed Large base sizes, lots of data and feedbackAbility to do different exercises and activities. Run a survey, break off for one-on-on probes or group discussionsDynamic probing off of the quant resultsDownside: Expensive, can be hard to manage (lots going on at once), might be overkill depending on your needs Online survey that feeds into a OFG or BBFGConcurrent hybridUsually survey agnostic robust qualitative experienceBBFG – Great for allowing respondents to stop and think, also good for having respondents do activitiesDownside: Qual comes after the quant. The more time that elapses, the harder it is to capture top-of-mind insights about the quant. Can be time consuming for respondents, survey exercise, then a full qual initiative.CommunitiesMost of us know the benefits of communities… They are great for going back to the same pool of respondents, creating brand ambassadorsYou can run your community through virtually any online quant and qual exercisesDownside: Expensive, difficult to manage and keep people engaged
Engagement Narrative (Nuance) Complete Story Multi Modal Research