Where and how to conduct research
Editor’s note: Joanna Jones and Karen Seratti are the co-founders of InterQ Learning Labs and Joanna is the founder of InterQ Research. This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared under the title “How to Conduct Research in Context (and Why This Matters).”
As qualitative researchers who have done everything from super-complex cybersecurity studies to B2C studies on how people use shopping apps, if there’s any advice we can give to people who are in the qual field, it’s this:
Research is contextual.
In qualitative research, we study how people make decisions, why they behave the way they do and what they think about various products or services. The most authentic way to study how people come to these opinions or behave the way they do is by putting people in contextually authentic situations.
Human beings are triggered – subconsciously – by settings, stimuli and often, others’ opinions. Yet in qual, we’re prone to think that it’s our “methodologically sound” questions that will give us answers, regardless of whether we’re interviewing over Zoom, in a focus group at a facility or in an office workspace. But that’s simply not true; to truly take insights to a higher level, it’s critical to keep the context of how decisions are made.
Let’s explore this more by looking at how to think about context before setting up a study.
1. Analyze decisions, opinions and people involved
This sounds obvious, yet so many researchers miss this when they think about methodology design.
The first question to ask yourself when thinking about methodology is simply this:
Is this an individual or a group decision?
For example, if someone is shopping online for clothes, and you’re testing the user interface, then the obvious study design will be a one-on-one interview, where you can see the person navigate through the app/website. This is an individual decision.
However, what if instead the study was about fashion trends – and not the shopping interface? Next, you must ask yourself: Is the target audience one that may look at fashion with friends, discuss what’s stylish and make decisions that are influenced by others?
If the answer to this question is yes, then consider a focus group or co-creation study to understand how a cohort discusses and judges fashion options. The interplay among the participants (assuming you have a well-defined persona group) will give you far richer insights than had you done a one-on-one interview.
This key question, Is this an individual or a group decision?, applies equally to business contexts.
I do a lot of B2B research at my firm and I always find it interesting when clients will propose IDIs if the type of software they develop is tested, analyzed and ultimately decided upon by a group of people, versus a single individual. (Spoiler alert: Software purchases are almost always decided by teams.)
If this is the study’s purpose (to understand the viability of a new software product for a team) I’m going to propose a group methodology study.
This may involve an affinity group (or snowball sample) of a whole team, where I interview them about the product and see how they discuss and make the decision, as a team, or I’ll interview like-titles and industry participants to see how they debate and analyze the software product.
This mimics how decisions are made in the workplace, and the insights are far richer than IDIs will produce.
2. Examine the setting
The second question to ask yourself, after the methodology is decided, is where will you collect the data?
Or, in other words: What’s the appropriate setting context for this type of research?
Let’s say you’re talking to millennials who work in tech about burnout on the job. Sure, you could take them to a facility, but for this cohort, they might feel more relaxed in a hip co-working space. For studies like this, I’ll interview them in a conference room.
Another example: Let’s say you’re talking to HR executives about health care software platforms. In this case, a focus group facility would be my choice: The formality and more corporate setting will lend itself to a discussion where I can help participants feel more comfortable about the topic.
And finally, what about a study where you’re studying passenger stress when flying on airplanes? Is interviewing them one-on-one via Zoom really going to capture how they felt when they were fifth in the lineup for boarding?
No, it won’t.
So, in a study like this, I would propose having them record their experiences – as they’re flying – on a mobile ethnography app, then debrief after in an IDI. In this way, you’re able to observe them contextually and then fill in later with more specific probes about their experiences.
The takeaway: Capture participants where they are for the richest insights
If you think of these two rules as you’re setting up studies:
- Is this an individual or a group decision?
And
- What’s the appropriate setting context for this type of research?
You’ll find that your research will be more creative, fruitful and more accurately capture true opinions, behaviors and decisions.