EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

1
 WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?

Qualitative implies an emphasis on the qualities of entities and on

processes and meanings that are not experimentally examined or
measured in terms of quantity, amount, intensity, or frequency.
Aims to gather an in-depth and holistic understanding of human
behaviour and the reasons that govern such behaviour - the why
and how behind consumer experiences, not just what, where, when.
Qualitative researchers seek answers to questions by decoding how
social experience is created and given meaning. In contrast,
quantitative studies emphasize the measurement and analysis of causal
relationships between variables.
Introduction to qualitative research

Dan Cooper
2
15/09/09
QUANTITATIVE VS. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
CHARACTERISTICS - RECAP
Quantitative Vs. Qualitative
One-to-one One-to-one, or in groups
Structured, Formal Flexible, Interactive
Nuanced responses missed Captures non-verbal cues
Large numbers Smaller numbers
Representative of target
Not representative
universe

Lower order Higher order

interviewer skills interviewer skills
Less researcher time More researcher time
intensive intensive

Less expensive More expensive

Which one is more objective? And what makes it so? 3

WHY DOESN’T QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROVIDE RISK REDUCTION

Lacks statistical validity

Not representative
Respondent bias
Researcher bias-subjectivity

TO REMEMBER
Given the qualitative nature of this study, all findings should be
treated strictly as hypotheses for quantitative validation. And,
marketing implications drawn from these hypotheses should
be treated strictly as indicative, and not as predictive.

The question – why does it still get used so

widely in place of quantitative research ?
4
Don’t get mesmerized by focus groups (1)

Focus groups are one of the most popular and misused research
tools in the business. Allowing rooms full of total strangers with
big mouths to influence your marketing strategy can be
disastrous.

First of all, the process has been distorted. Have you ever
wondered where the word focus came from ? It was first used in
the ’60s as a way to better focus the ensuing research on a
subject. That’s right, it was just the first step.

Yet today, many companies never get around to the quantitative

research, based on a true sample of the target audience. They
act on the opinions blurted out by those small groups of people.
5
Don’t get mesmerized by focus groups (2)

Secondly, the process turns casual bystanders (or ‘bysitters’) into

marketing experts.
The average person doesn’t think too deeply about anything much
beyond money, sex, gossip and their weight. The average person hasn’t
really thought about toothpaste for a total of 10 minutes in his or her
lifetime. Much less for the two hour of a toothpaste focus group. And yet
in a focus group , you’re asking people to form opinions in a manner that
goes way beyond that of their normal mental processing.
You’re turning them into marketing managers for a day. They’ll be only
too happy to tell you how to run your business. The question is, should
you let them ? Jack Trout,The New Positioning

6
Qualitative Research : Two
Philosophies

7
POSITIVISM – THE AMERICAN SCHOOL
Area of enquiry is set in the context of well-developed theory – to ensure new
knowledge emerges.

Specific variables for measurement are defined - hypotheses are set.

An instrument to measure specific variables is developed - respondents answer set

questions, with a consistent language and logic.

Responses are analysed within an established theoretical framework. And subjected to

quantitative validation.

Researcher tests whether their hypotheses are accepted or rejected – in order to

incrementally develop existing theory.

Positivists reach conclusions based upon agreed and measurable ‘facts’, applying
deductive reasoning - starting from general principles/theory expressed as hypotheses,
from which the deduction is to be made, and proceeding to a conclusion by way of some
statement linking the particular case in question.
8
INTERPRETIVISM – THE EUROPEAN SCHOOL
Area of enquiry is identified, with little or no restrictive/inhibiting theoretical framework.

Issues are explored in particular contexts – by observing or talking to respondents.

Broad themes are identified for discussion, with observation, probing and in-depth
questioning to elaborate the nature of these themes.

Researcher develops theory by searching for the occurrence and interconnection of

phenomena - based upon their observed combination of events.

Interpretivists reach conclusions without complete evidence. The validity of the

interpretivist approach is based upon fair samples. Interpretivists need to very
consciously be on guard against their own human subjectivity.

The interpretivist seeks to establish the legitimacy of their approach through induction -
believing that an instance or repeated combination of events may be universally
generalised.
9
 QUALITATIVE OFTEN WORKS IN TANDEM WITH
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Pre quant Stand-alone Post quant

Developing Creative Further
questionnaire development explanation
Refining stimulus Exploring attitudes Product/concept
/ opinions / improvement
Identifying potential
behaviours within
segments Generating case
very niche groups
study material
Identifying relevant
Quick findings
sub-sections of the Bringing
customer base segments to life

Not competing or substitutable. They are best utilised together, where

each can bring individual benefits to the table.
10
EXAMPLES OF THE TWO PURPOSES FOR WHICH
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IS USED

Exploratory study to understand the product category and the

consumer In order to structure a quantitative study.

Explanatory study In order to understand the reasons

behind the status obtained from a quantitative study.

11
 Exploratory Qualitative Studies (1)
Examples

A new product – electric bicycle. Who could Adult cycle buyers? student cycle buyers?
represent potential target segments for such moped buyers? scooterette buyers? affluent,
a product health conscious adults?

Client entering a new field – health drinks. What target segments? housewives, children,
Needs to do a comprehensive study to aged people, sick people? What to ask them
understand the market, consumer, brands. about purchase, consumption? On what
How to structure this comprehensive study attributes to assess needs and perceptions?

12
Exploratory Qualitative Studies (2)
Examples

A new communication concept for a

detergent brand – based on fragrance.
How best to write/present this idea to
the consumer in a quantitative test – is
fragrance an end-benefit, or a cue to
end-benefits in a detergent? what is the
relevance of fragrance in the context of
clothes?

13
 Explanatory Qualitative Studies (1)
Examples

A herbal moisturising toilet soap,

relaunched to gain share from non-herbal
competition. Quantitative post launch
evaluation shows many have tried and
dropped out of the brand after relaunch.
Why are people lapsing out of the brand –

Were they disappointed with the

moisturising effect? were not happy on
other aspects like cleaning, freshness,
fragrance? tried it only when they had a
skin dryness problem – seen as medicinal?
14
Explanatory Qualitative Studies (2)
Examples

Four pack designs developed for a new shampoo brand. One selected in a quantitative
evaluation. Need a deeper understanding of what is working or not working in each
pack, to refine the selected one further –
What are the positive in the selected pack that we need to retain and highlight? are
there any negatives to correct? are there any strengths in the other packs that could be
incorporated in the selected one? 15
Qualitative Research
Design & Techniques
THREE KEY ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE A
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH STUDY
Naturalistic - study real- Data - in-depth information Unique case orientation –

Data Collection
The Design

The Analysis
world situations as they about people’s analyse each case as
unfold naturally; perspectives and lived special; cross-case
nonmanipulative; open to experiences, as articulated analysis depends upon the
whatever emerges . by them. quality of individual cases.
Emergent - adapting Personal experience & Inductive - immersion in
inquiry as understanding engagement – researcher details to discover patterns,
deepens and/or situations has direct contact with the and interrelationships.
change; avoid rigid people, phenomenon, Holistic perspective -
designs; pursue new paths situation. whole phenomenon is
of discovery as they Empathic neutrality & understood as a complex
emerge. mindfulness - system, more than the
Purposeful - cases for understanding respondents sum of its parts.
study [people, events…] without judgment - with Context sensitive - places
selected because they are openness, sensitivity, findings in a social,
“information rich” and respect, awareness, and historical, and temporal
illuminative. Sampling is for responsiveness. context;
insight about the Dynamic systems -
phenomenon, not empirical Credibility and objectivity
attention to process, – depicting the world in all
generalization, from a system and situational
sample applied to a its complexity, while being
dynamics/ongoing self-analytical, self-aware.
population. changes.
THE TECHNIQUES FOR DATA COLLECTION

Focus groups discussions.

In-depth unstructured interviews.

Anthropological-ethnographic studies.

19
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Key Characteristics

1 2 3

Involves 8-12 Conducted at Moderated by

participants. a central a trained
Recruited to location, with expert – using
meet viewing and an exhaustive
specific target listening guideline,
group criteria. facilities. checklist.
Over 1-2
hours
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Applications

Idea generation or Involving ‘everyday’ Easy to cluster

creative thinking – consumers, and not audiences, easy to
product / service expert audiences or reach audiences
enhancement …. influencers
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS
Pleasures & Problems

Easy to set up and manage.

Facilitates research user’s direct participation.

Group interaction helps in exploring the full

spectrum of possibilities.

Group dynamics inhibits ‘in-depth’ probing.

Need to use motivational techniques.

Consumers often start behaving as expert

critics.
DEPTH INTERVIEWS
Key Characteristics & Applications

• One-on-one interviews
• Typically between 45minutes to 1 hr in duration
• In respondent’s home, workplace - in a neutral location
• Can also take place over the telephone

Personal Sensitive / private Hard-to-reach

accounts / stories / delicate issues audiences that
/ experiences, not suitable for are either, who
recounted in an discussion in a are unlikely to
in-depth fashion group situation attend a group
session
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS
Pleasures & Problems

Requires more time and researcher resources.

Could become ‘boring’ for participant. And, more

importantly, for the researcher.

Facilitates more in-depth probing, psychological need

drivers determination,…
ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDIES
Captures subconscious behaviours.
Involves living with or studying consumers
in their natural environment, for a Avoids respondent post-rationalisation.
long time.
Uncovers details perhaps forgotten by
Most in-depth. Most difficult. respondent.
Gives more detailed, rich understanding of
Overcomes ‘pre-programmed’ or automatic
customers’ lifestyles, routines,
answers.
environment, motivations
Exposes differences between what
Commercial applications are far & few.
consumers say they do vs. think they
But growing in popularity.
ought to do vs. actually do.

Process brings you closer to customers…helps identify how well your

product or service fits into their lives…helps create more compelling,
differentiated messaging and advertising
ETHNOGRAPHY APPLICATIONS
Understand the culture → optimise the product

Knowing the structure of consumer experiences helps you:

▪ Explore areas for new product development on a more solid

footing
▪ Match products to deeply-embedded attitudinal and
behavioural dimensions
▪ Communicate a product’s value in the right way
▪ Extend the life of existing products by modifying them as tastes
and perceptions change

This is how ethnography – the disciplined analysis of

culture – helps marketers
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TECHNIQUES : IN SUM

Fast and easy

Group discussions Facilitates direct sensitization
Stimulates brainstorming

Allows for more probing, depth

In-depth interviews Suitable for sensitive topics
Less posturing, group bias

Maximum depth
Ethnographic studies Minimum rationalization
Maximum time, effort, money
OBSERVATION RESEARCH
The required information is collected by watching
consumers, and the way they behave.
Rather than by asking questions and obtaining answers.

Particularly useful in consumer durables, for products – where

performance is affected by usage.

For understanding trade and in-shop influences on

consumer.

And, for understanding in-use problems, needs, opportunities.

Is it qualitative or quantitative ?
Observations can be qualitative or quantitative.
An integral part of ethnographic approaches.
 Interviewing and moderation
techniques & discussion guides

5
29
RESEARCHER ROLE

Ability to consciously Awareness and

subdue one’s views, responsiveness to
vocabulary, personality, verbal and non
subjectivity verbal cues

Qualitative
Ability to looking researcher skill Ability to listen,
beyond the areas for coaxing, be firm,
obvious and the uncovering forceful when
stated consumer insights: needed

Warmth and Sensitivity and

approachability empathy
QUALITATIVE MODERATION RULES

Know your Clarity on objectives and familiarity with the guide

objectives & your
prerequisites for effective probing.
guide

Reassure respondents on confidentiality, data

Explain & protection and the aim of the research. Make them
reassure
feel at ease.

Take extra care to not lead respondents to a

Avoid closed or
leading questions viewpoint, or influence them

‘Why do you say that?’, ‘Tell me a bit more about

Probe, prompt, that’, ‘earlier you said xxx, which seems to be at
dig & challenge odds with what you just told me’
THE DISCUSSION GUIDE

• Is used to structure the group discussion/depth interview.

• Moderator should go ‘off guide’ to pursue areas of interest,

as they crop up.

• Guide should be studied & internalised before the research

session.

• Guide should plan for flexible/loose timings, to allow

moderator to cover all relevant areas in the allotted time, and
follow interesting lines of investigation that open up.
PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES
Sometimes respondents are unable to articulate their thoughts & opinions. When
this happens, projective techniques help them get over those mental barriers…

Word Laddering/Means End Chain Customer journeys

association
Guided
Visualisation Collages Mood boards
Fill in the bubble drawings
Magic Shelf Mapping Objectification
Role playing
Get fired Personification
Psycho drama, Psycho
Graffiti drawing Obituaries Fairy tales & films

Sentence or Story Construct story/dialogue/description based

Completion on picture stimulus/cartoons….
Technique types:
Association, Completion, Construction, Pure Projective, Structuring,
Expressive, Metaphors & Analogies, Intrusive/disruptive
 WHY PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES - 1

• Memories are partial, fluid and can change during the process of recall
• Self awareness is limited by social, cultural, psychological barriers
• Information stored in visual or kinaesthetic form needs to extracted
• Difficulty in articulation of complex situations and feelings
• There are things we intuitively know, but don’t know how or why
• Verbal interviewing limits potential for imagination, creativity and synthesis
• People need to project a self image - rational, successful, hospitable…
• Behaviour is affected by context, out of the interview situation

34
 WHY PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES - 2
‘Projectives’ is a catch-all for a large range of techniques that help the
process of interviewing in many ways, making it:

Easier and more engaging to describe things

Safer to talk about things that people are reluctant to talk about

Possible to discuss things that are of interest to marketers and

communicators, but don’t exist as concepts or ways of thinking for
ordinary people, like brand images, organisational values.

6
Without the use of projective techniques, qualitative
research can be superficial, inaccurate and misleading.
Projectives can move conversations to a deeper level.
35
 HOW TO USE PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES
Prepare the respondents for exercises/games

Prepare yourself and all necessary material/aids

Warm-ups and demos…showing the way, putting respondents at ease

Be prepared for individuals to ‘refuse’. Ask them to observe and join in

the discussion afterwards.

Get the timing right – not too early, or too late

Create the right mood/energy level

Give clear and concise instructions

Always get respondents to interpret what they’ve done

36
 ANALYSING PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES

Content
What themes are there? What are your hypotheses about why it didn’t emerge
before? What theories might it link into? What are the barriers or defence
mechanisms in place and why? What states of mind and ways of thinking do they
suggest?

Meaning
What kind of personal significance might it have? What role does it play in people’s
lives? How does it make life richer, more meaningful? What metaphors are implicit
or explicit?

6
The symbolic and cultural aspects
Where else can you see in these colours, symbols, themes? What do they relate to
in our society in general /the respondent’s reference group in particular? Do the
stories reflect any myths or archetypes?

37
 What it all means

6
38
DATA CAPTURE & ANALYSIS
1
Interviews / groups
recorded, either on 4
video, by audio Executive brainstorm: all execs who
recorder, or both have worked on the project meet up to
discuss what they’ve heard, boiling
2 Footage transcribed / notes findings down into key themes / action
points
& quotes made. For
software packages, data Researchers use grids, spider
entered into pre-generated diagrams, flow charts… to crystallise
framework findings and organise thematically
Outcome - a story that clients can act
on.
3
Contents analysis of the
data – sorting under
relevant heads
ANALYSING THE DATA
Assemble
Data from different sources- transcripts, notes, reflections….
Organise
The data into consumer-centred categories - CODING
Structure & Display
The categories by identifing some of the core processes that structure how the
experience works from the consumers’ point of view
Interpret & Report
By creating compelling models that communicate research learnings in a way that
focuses them on the desired business outcomes, with verbal/visual support/evidence.
Data verification
By seeking alternative explanations through other data sources and theories. To
demonstrate that researcher has presented a valid meaning of the data collected,
unbiased by their own views.
Decode - What makes an experience meaningful? How does the process of
an experience work?
 CODING - ORGANISING DATA INTO A SET OF
THEMES OR CODES HELPS TO…
Build theory, rather than test theory

Provide researchers with analytic tools for handling masses of raw data

Consider alternative meanings of phenomena

Be systematic and creative simultaneously

Identify, develop, and relate the concepts that are the building blocks of
theory.

Coding can be done using software, which helps the researcher to code data in a
consistent manner, to search for themes, and examine the context in which they emerge.
The software allows for the manipulation of codes and themes, so that they may be
viewed from many different perspectives, to develop stronger theories.
IDENTIFYING & CODING THEMES FROM QUALITATIVE DATA

Scan for distinct concepts Re-read the text/data, to: Develop and elaborate a
Open Coding

Axial Coding

Selective Coding
and categories in the data, • Confirm that concepts core category around
which will form the basic and categories accurately which the other developed
units of analysis. represent interview categories can be grouped.
Involves breaking down the responses The core category is
developed in its features
data into first level • Explore how the and dimensions, and linked
concepts, or master concepts and categories
headings, and second-level to other categories.
are related - What
categories, or conditions caused or Transfer final concepts and
subheadings. influenced concepts and categories into a data
Highlights of different categories? What is the table.
colours can be used to social/political context? Listing the major
distinguish various What are the associated categories, then explaining
concepts and categories. effects or consequences? them after the table - is an
Resulting in transcripts with effective way to organize
3-5 different colours in lots Axial coding is a directed results
of highlighted text. These approach at looking at the Once satisfied with the
are then transformed into a data, to help ensure that all coding/table creation,
brief outline, with concepts important aspects have review the table with
being main headings and been identified. And to colleagues and/or client, or
categories being make necessary perhaps even participants -
subheadings. revisions/additions. to promote clarity.
 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH OUTPUT

• Key findings, augmented with anonymised verbatim or, in

some cases, video footage/vox pops
• Case studies – to bring the consumer experience ‘to life’ for
the client
• Recommendations for next steps
• Detailed reports - full background, findings, conclusions and
comprehensive appendices

43
 Innovative & emerging approaches

7
44
DIGITAL QUALITATIVE
A diverse group of qualitative methodologies facilitated through a web based platform
- diary studies, blogs, depth interviews, group discussions, pre-task exercises, reconvened
groups and online communities.

Benefits
Gives access to previously hard to reach or time poor respondents.
Convenient and safe way for respondents to participate in research.
Preferred medium among target groups like teenagers, early adopters
Provides global reach – to respondents located anywhere.
Richer multimedia documentation – of contexts, processes, motivations.
More involving, interesting for respondents. And clients.

Digital Qualitative via mobile affords in-the-moment feedback – respondents can

share experiences fresh, without relying on recall. Further, answers can then be
supplemented with images and even videos – all at the click of a button
EYE-TRACKING
Many thought processes occur within a matter of seconds, free recalling
them without cues is difficult and unreliable

Respondents have a tendency to try to rationalise their opinions, rather

than simply explain what grabbed their attention

Eye tracking provides a record of these crucial first encounters, capturing

the areas of interest before they are forgotten or rationalised

Particularly useful for advertising/marketing material evaluation, as well as

package/product design

This information can be recorded as a live video from the

respondent’s point of view – with a superimposed crosshair
showing the fixations
Thank you!

47