Qualitative Marketing Research Design: Choosing the Appropriate Technique to Maximize Information Quality

This is the first of two eTips! addressing qualitative techniques. August's issue will more fully address the settings for different qualitative techniques.

Qualitative marketing research is a $1 billion-plus industry* in the United States alone. It is commonly administered at the outset of a project (to better explore and define the issues) or when time and/or budgets are limited for a larger more expansive—typically quantitative—alternative. While its limitations are clear with respect to its inability to provide projectable descriptions against a larger population, qualitative research's capacity to allow extensive questioning and capture rich feedback in a short amount of time is an important tool for marketers in search of a better understanding of an industry.

Different qualitative techniques are available to simulate situations in which the research issue is encountered in the "real world." They range from one individual with an interviewer to thirty participants in a moderated session. Put simply, more people should be involved in a study if more interaction is needed to replicate the environment.

If no interaction is desired, one on one in-depth interviews (or IDI's) are fitting. If the research involves issues that are encountered in small groups of people, mini-groups of 2-3 or 4-5 people are appropriate. If a social or more public setting is the environment in which the issue occurs, a large focus group of 10-12 is suitable. A focus group is also appropriate if the research seeks the interaction of a larger number of people for the purpose of ideation, brainstorming or creativity.

So the next time you hear some one say "Let's do some IDI's" or "How about running this by several people in a focus group," make sure the appropriate qualitative technique is used-based on your product or service's application-before acceding to the request. Next month we will discuss the more specific usage of the three commonly used methodologies: in-depth interviews, mini-groups and focus groups.

*Source: Honomichl Top 50 Report, Marketing News, June 10, 2002, page H43.