We have been conducting qualitative research since the company’s inception back in 1991 and it remains a strength of the company to this day.
There is no doubt that qualitative research – although sometimes felt to be somewhat of a poorer relation – can be as powerful a tool (if not more so) than its quantitative cousin.
Where depth of understanding, ideas and attitudes are concerned, in-depth interviewing produces extremely valuable data. The values and beliefs of a group of individuals can often have significantly greater explanatory, interpretive or predictive value than a basket-load of quantitative surveys.
More often, of course, qualitative research is used to complement quantitative work and the combination – if professionally designed and implemented – can be incredibly powerful.
Our methods include group work, eg Delphi groups and focus groups; one-to-one in-depth interviews (usually face-to-face or over the telephone), on-going working groups, seminars, and online blogs.
We often undertake detailed and comprehensive literature reviews alongside any planned primary research activities.