The document discusses the benefits of longitudinal qualitative research over traditional qualitative research methods. Longitudinal research involves engaging with participants multiple times over an extended period rather than just once. This allows researchers to gain deeper insights by observing experiences and processes as they naturally unfold over time. Examples are given where longitudinal online discussions or journals allowed researchers to explore challenges people face in various situations like driving or holiday shopping. Going long provides a more realistic and complete picture compared to relying on memory in a single short session.

1. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
The Power of Going Long
with
Qualita4ve Research
Presented to NewMR by:
Dorrie Paynter
Leapfrog Marke4ng Research

2. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
TRADITIONAL
BACKGROUND
WHY LONGITUDINAL?
EXAMPLES
Longitudinal Research
MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES
EXPLORE A LONG PROCESS
LOGISTICAL TIMES/LOCATIONS
QUESTIONS
EVOLUTION OF EXPERIENCE
AGENDA

3. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Challenge: LimitaNons of TradiNonal Qual
Time constraints
– Limited to 1, 2, 3 hours at a 7me
– One point in 7me
– Easy to miss the cri7cal moments
Reliance on memory
Loca4on constraints
– Can’t go on vaca7on with them, watch them
care for their newborn, aHend a Dr’s
appointment…
Ac4vity constraints
– Can’t research & buy a car, plan a wedding,
go through a new roll of paper towels ….

4. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
SoluNon: Go long!
• Recruit par7cipants for 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months . . . or a year
• Will usually involve a web and/or mobile based asynchronous plaNorm
o Could use phone, email and/or in-person interviews
• Allows moderators, observers and par7cipants to engage with research mul7ple 7mes over
the course of the study
• Easily collect text, photos, videos and audio
• Can take the form on an Insights Community or a stand alone project
• Take note! More work to maintain engagement, prepare for aHri7on, volume of data

5. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
• Longitudinal dialogue – same person mul7ple 7mes at different stages of process or
experience
• Be in-the-moment with par7cipants, where ac7on is happening, regardless of
loca7on or 7me of day
Advantages of Longitudinal Qual
• Removes the reliance on memory; can show, not
just tell
• Allow process to happen at natural pace with
natural influences
• Build trust; barriers go down
• Gives you more 7me to explore in depth
RESULT? Deeper, richer more accurate learning

6. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Examples
6
1. A lot to do
2. Challenging Nmes and locaNons
3. Explore a long process
4. EvoluNon of experience

7. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
• Objec&ve: To explore why Americans don’t eat more mangos
• Challenge: To explore 1) percep7ons of mangos, 2) shopping for mangos,
3) in-home prepara7on of mangos AND 4) assessing new mango crea7ve
… all in one study
So Much To Do . . .
• Tradi&onally: 3-hour ethnographies?
• Solu&on: 3-day online discussion board with mobile component
• Benefits:
– Do everything with 20 par7cipants in 3 days vs 10 days + travel for ethnographies;
save money and 7me
– Client loved seeing store displays across country; got many ideas
– Could see challenges novices encountered preparing a mango; much more realis7c
and detailed than if par7cipants tried to describe what they had done
Mango consump4on . . .

8. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
So Much To Do . . .

9. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
• Challenge: How to learn what challenges people encounter while they are driving in a
variety of situa7ons
• Tradi&onally: 2-hour focus groups?
• Solu&on: 5-day digital “Auto Journals” plus in-person interviews. Conducted over
weekend and weekdays to cover varied driving situa7ons.
• Benefits: Deep understanding of driver’s rela7onship with their car, driving prac7ces and
what issues they run into . . . from their natural environment and before we met
Challenging Time/LocaNons
Driving scenarios . . .
Objec&ve: To generate ideas for how to improve in-car
infotainment systems

10. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
5-Day Auto Journals

11. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Holiday shopping process…
• Objec&ve: Explore how consumers decide what they are going to
purchase during the winter holiday shopping period
• Challenge: To learn about a process that can take over 2 months to
complete
• Tradi&onally: 2-hour focus groups in January?
• Methodology: Ten-week digital qual study – early November ->
mid-January Par7cipants reported on every aspect of the process,
when and where it happened
• Benefits:
– Able to “be with” (virtually) par7cipants every step of the
way - researching, planning, shopping, purchasing, wrapping,
giving and returning – online, in a store, at home, etc.
– Generated lots of images and videos which helped bring
process to life.
More Involved Processes

12. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Experience of women using new acne treatment . . .
• Objec&ve: To understand the emo7onal and behavioral impact of a new acne
treatment
• Challenge: To observe how usage evolves over 7me
• Tradi&onally: 1-hour one-on-one interview?
• Methodology: Two month digital qual study with ongoing journaling and
monthly in-depth ques4oning
• Benefits:
Able to learn ini7al and longer-term reac7ons, see applica7on process,
learn about likes/dislikes based on real-world usage
EvoluNon of an Experience

13. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Go long when you research . . .
A process . . .
1. Wedding planning
2. Buying a car
3. Picking a college
4. ?
An evolu4on . . .
1. Training your dog
2. Usage of new paper
product
3. Interest in music service
4. ?
Challenging 4ming/
loca4ons
1. Sporadic medical
condi7on
2. Losing things
3. Snacking
4. ?

14. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Thank You!
Dorrie Paynter
Leapfrog Marke4ng Research
Dorrie@LeapfrogResearch.com
+1-415-336-8280 (US)
+81-70-1513-4875 (Japan)

15. The Power of Going Long
Dorrie Paynter, Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
New but not
Tech
Q & A
Dorrie Paynter
Leapfrog Marke7ng Research
Sue York
The Handbook of
Mobile Market Research