How to Overcome Market Research Challenges

Research is not the deliverable. In applied research, particularly for teams focused on services and products, user and market research aims to support the product or service. Research is in service of the deliverable. Based on discussions with practitioners and organizations, I've understood that many problems with user research originate from this point. → Tooling becomes specific to researchers → Repositories are in service of the researchers → Delivery is shaped in the view of researchers → Centralizing research organizational structures → Methods are controlled by the researchers Timelines compound these problems. I recently highlighted in a poll that 80% of researchers take at least 2-4 weeks for a study, with 30% of those over four weeks. Not good. Ok, but good research takes time? As Dr Chloe Sharp highlights in her book “Make Products That Matter,” there is Fast and Slow research – for ideas that are more mature, like prototypes, the focus shifts to understanding the problem-solution fit (https://lnkd.in/g4FcnNa9). This research can happen in days. However, even the slowest research can happen in days with an iterative approach. The need for a big research report isn’t effective, as information can be shared as a project unfolds. Large companies have found a balance. Melissa Perri shared how Jen Cardello at Fidelity Investments tackled the challenge of scaling user research across its numerous agile teams by establishing a Research Operations (ResOps) function (https://lnkd.in/gYZijVUv). In the strictly controlled financial services sector, traditional user recruiting methods took two months for each project. However, introducing the new user access system reduced this time to just two days for numerous projects, streamlining procedures while staying within regulatory limits. Helio was developed to address the need for customer insights during iterative cycles. Product and marketing teams encountering similar challenges might find it helpful: → Access to a ready-made audience to collect quick user feedback → Simple interface to get tests and surveys set up in minutes. → Usability questions to switch seamlessly between qual and quant findings Let's do research to elevate our deliverables and create exceptional offerings! #productdesign #productdiscovery #marketresearch #uxresearch

Can you generate a big insight with a small budget research? Well, it turns out you can. Here are some ideas of how you can do it: 1. Take time to clarify your questions. Lengthy surveys often deter respondents or lead to careless answers, compromising data quality. Streamlining questions from the outset not only reduces costs but also sharpens the focus on essential information. 2. Stay curious - it will pay off. Inspired questions can unlock significant insights. Such questions arise from a keen understanding of customer needs and behaviors—reflecting the inquisitiveness and discernment of the marketing person. 3. Consider the end product of your research. Extravagant presentations or sophisticated data analysis may not be necessary; in many cases simple data breakdowns or a one-page-summary can suffice. A voluminous PowerPoint presentation for one or two key findings is excessive and sometimes even counterproductive. 4. Be comfortable with larger sample error margins. Often, a decision wouldn't change whether a response rate is 70% or 80%. In such cases, a smaller sample size of 300-500, as opposed to 1,000, may be equally informative for decision-making. 5. Use research as a tool, do not expect to be a cradle of big ideas. Your market knowledge is irreplaceable. Take research findings with a grain of salt and engage with the data personally. Form hypotheses, identify correlations, and don't hesitate to dig deeper into the data or request further data analysis to clarify findings. #ResearchMadeSimple #FrappeDigital

Over the past 20 years in market research, many project issues I've seen stem from mismanaging client expectations. Whether you work for a research firm, an agency, a consultancy, or any other business that involves regular client discussions, here are 4 pointers. 1️⃣ Communication—Regularly communicate, candidly ask the client how often they want updates, and never let a week go by without touching base, regardless of the project stage. Anticipate questions and answer them before they ask. A client sending an email asking, "What's the status of...?" is a failure on your end - within reason. Lack of responsiveness leads to mistrust, even more micromanagement, skepticism, and other issues that can be snuffed out by communicating openly. 2️⃣ Be Realistic—We all want to say "yes" to clients, but there are often ways to showcase your experience and expertise by being honest about what can be achieved with a given timeline and budget. The expectation could be a lack of understanding about the process or industry norms. Underpromise and overdeliver versus overpromise and underdeliver. Those honest conversations may appear inflexible, but they're often more about setting expectations and setting up both parties for long-term sustainable success. Saying "no" to this project could be a better long-term decision for the account than saying "yes" and failing with no second chance. 3️⃣ Understand Perspective—Take the time to actively listen to your client's needs, goals, and priorities. It goes beyond listening and includes asking smart (and sometimes bolder) questions to get a complete understanding. What drove the need for research? Why is receiving results within 2 weeks crucial? What happens if you don't receive results in 2 weeks? Understanding what's pushing the decisions behind the scenes can be a game changer. 4️⃣ Solutions Over Problems—Never present a problem or an issue to a client without a path forward. "This happened, but here are 3 things we can do to fix it." You need to be more than someone who relays information, you need to be a true consultant. Be able to justify each recommendation and explain the pros and cons of each path. -------------------------------------- Need MR advice? Message me. 📩 Visit @Drive Research 💻  1400+ articles to help you. ✏️ --------------------------------------