Are you getting insights for your daily decision-making?
Let’s talk about three attributes of successful research. Now, that’s not to say there are only three. After all, success depends on the problem or question that prompted you to do participant or consumer research in the first place.
Done wrong, your research will not help you solve problems or answer the questions that inspired the project.
So, for now, we’ll assume you got those first steps right, and now, sitting across from your consultant, you’re going through the final report. As you flip past the last page, it’s time to ask yourself three questions:
- Did the research tell you something you didn’t know?
- Did it confirm something you already believed to be true?
- Did it challenge you?
So, let’s start with the first attribute:
1. Did it tell you something you didn’t know?
This is hard to achieve, but new information can be gold. Nearly every research project I’ve done in the last 30 years has been for clients who are experts in their business, whether healthcare, consumer goods, or retirement plans. So, surprising them with something completely new about those they serve is unusual.
Very often, we won’t uncover dramatically new information. Instead, we’ll discover a subtle but important nuance. Perhaps it’s that barrier that has stagnated your progress, or a unique new ingredient to enhance your effectiveness.
For example, consider financial well-being research for a large midwestern retirement system. At a high level, we learned something that confirmed our intuition: participants aged 50 and up generally are more financially stable than those 20 years younger with children at home.
However, the research identified a significant subgroup: single parents aged 50 plus struggling to make ends meet while caring for children and grandchildren.
This information encouraged the plan to better tailor financial well-being education with topics unique to that at-risk group of 50 plus single parents.
So let’s move to our second attribute:
2. Did it confirm something you already believed?
One complaint I’ve sometimes heard about participant research is that it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know. I want to rephrase that statement: it confirmed something you already suspected to be true.
Confirmation of facts is every bit as important as learning new ones. Why? In my experience, market research contradicts – or at least modifies – closely held beliefs as often as half the time. If the consequences of being wrong are significant, it is worth every penny to confirm something we suspect to be true.
While our decisions may not be life-and-death matters, they definitely impact the quality of life of those we serve.
Years ago, I had symptoms of cancer, including a lump. Did my doctor know this was cancer? No, but he was pretty darn sure it was. So, he ordered a biopsy that confirmed what he suspected, and gave vital details regarding the cancer’s stage. That allowed him to tailor a treatment to my needs. More than ten years later, I’m cancer free.
Consider participant research a biopsy of participant perceptions. It may confirm what you already know, but it will still help you make smarter decisions.
And that gets us to the third attribute of successful research:
3. Did it challenge you?
New information is nice. But, translating that data into actional insights is both difficult and essential. Reports with interesting information sit on shelves collecting dust. Research with actionable insights doesn’t get that chance. These insights sit on your desk or are quick-reference shortcuts on your computer desktop. They guide your decision-making today and tomorrow.
At the end of the day, being certain your research is successful requires a two-part commitment. First, your research consultant must provide you with actionable insights – not just pie charts. Then you must commit to using those insights in your daily decision-making.
