Editor's note: If you’re an end-client researcher and interested in participating in a Q&A with Quirk’s, please e-mail me at emilyk@quirks.com. 

Marianne Moran Peterson, Senior Research Manager, Microsoft Research + Insights

What is your background and current role at Microsoft? 

I’m a senior research manager at Microsoft who loves to discover the hidden truths and motivations that influence buying behavior. I work with business planners to design research that reveals customer perceptions of value. 

My current emphasis is on concept value and pricing and packaging research but my experience spans everything from designing research to assess advertising and sales channel effectiveness to tracking brand satisfaction and product perceptions. I moved to research after spending many years working in Windows product marketing and in Microsoft’s legal department. 

As a 12-year Research + Insights market research veteran, and a 30-year Microsoft employee, I’ve been at ground zero for many of Microsoft’s most innovative product launches. After graduating from the University of Washington I started a family and now live in Bellevue with my husband, two sons and our dog Mookie.

Could you share three pieces of advice for young people wanting to embark on a career in research?  

When I started out in research I don’t think I realized just how important it is to trust your passion to guide your career. It sounds like a trite catch phrase but it’s really important to truly examine what drives your interest in research and then draw from that passion to steer your career. For me personally, I attribute my longevity in research to a genuine passion for learning about what makes people tick, what motivates and influences their perceptions and behaviors. Every new research project is a gift, an opportunity to learn something new. Knowing your passion will sustain you and bring greater meaning to your work. 

My second piece of advice is KISS – keep it simple stupid. I try to live by this creed as much as possible, but in such a complex world it takes real work to keep things simple. I happened on this chunk of wisdom when reading customer feedback in product satisfaction research and try to apply it as much as possible when writing research reports. People will love you for taking the time to build data visualizations that clearly and obviously support your point. Simplicity matters, but don’t confuse lack of words or proper labeling with simplicity. What may be intuitive to a researcher is probably not intuitive to a stakeholder, so take the time to think about how best to label and explain data visualizations. 

Finally, I wish I realized earlier on just how critical it is to listen. I mean really listen. It takes work and skill. When you really listen you’re processing information, internalizing it and then taking some action based on what you heard. That action could be to mentally discard what you heard, but more often careful listening should lead to an interaction that benefits you and the person speaking. For me, I listen best when looking at a blank piece of paper and jotting down certain words I hear. Go ahead and develop your own listening bag of tricks based on what works for you. Real listening is following through on what you hear. It sounds simple but it’s the follow through that will help you stand out and get noticed.   

What are some of your personal goals and aspirations for the next five or 10 years? 

As the primary breadwinner of the family responsible for paying my kid’s college tuition, I plan to continue working for big business. Eventually I would love to work for a non-profit, or for a political campaign for a person or cause I really believe in. If I ever retire, I would like to spend my time working for an environmental cause like Save Our Wild Salmon.