{"id":11201,"date":"2018-05-07T03:19:40","date_gmt":"2018-05-07T08:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/?p=11201"},"modified":"2018-05-07T03:19:40","modified_gmt":"2018-05-07T08:19:40","slug":"9-tips-to-conducting-accurate-qualitative-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/9-tips-to-conducting-accurate-qualitative-research\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Tips to Conducting Accurate Qualitative Research"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 18<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>Customers don\u2019t think like we do. And similarly, what we may <em>think <\/em>looks or sounds right for our company and website, or what may be a primary motivator of visitors, could (and is most likely) completely off.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helpscout.net\/blog\/customer-interview\/\">Elizabeth Wellington explains;<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cCustomers give information that reveals their\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/teamtreehouse.com\/library\/researching-user-needs\/solving-an-important-problem\/the-difference-between-a-need-and-a-want\">attitudes<\/a><\/em><em>\u00a0(how they think they should behave) rather than behaviors (how they actually make decisions)\u201d <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>But conversions and the path that leads to those conversions is highly driven by the customer. The image of a funnel is what comes to mind when many think of conversions, however, because the customer is irrational and highly distracted, it looks more like this:<!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"blog_img\">\n<div class=\"blog_img\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11217 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M9.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"301\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are ways of conducting qualitative research to gather customer data and understand more about what they are thinking, what is motivating them.<\/p>\n<h2>How To Determine When To Do A Qualitative Research<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Little is known or present understanding is inadequate<\/li>\n<li>Making sense of complex situations or social processes<\/li>\n<li>Learn from participants about their experiences (beliefs, motivations, opinions)<\/li>\n<li>Construct a hypothesis\/theory from data<\/li>\n<li>Understand phenomena deeply and in detail<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You\u2019re essentially putting an organized framework on the messiness of life:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201c<strong>Chaos<\/strong>\u00a0often\u00a0<strong>breeds<\/strong>\u00a0life, when\u00a0<strong>order breeds<\/strong>\u00a0habit.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Henry Adams<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>But one must be wearied with some of the results because surveys and polls aren\u2019t always accurate. \u00a0Results of those qualitative studies aren\u2019t always accurate. There is a science in the way that you ask and how you ask it (the method to use).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/qualitative-surveys\/\">Susan Farrell explains;<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cWrite neutral questions that don\u2019t imply particular answers or give away your expectations.\u201d<\/em> <em>Keep it short. Every extra question reduces your response rate, decreases validity, and makes all your results suspect.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Qualitative research participants often answer something, but there subconscious and actions do something entirely different. Many studies have been conducted on how faulty relying on qualitative data can be. Participants tend to say the first thing that comes to mind or what they think they want. But you dig deeper to realize that there\u2019s a lot more than you must be uncovered, and what they think they want or why they think they choose is a product or service isn\u2019t the true motivation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog_img\">\n<div class=\"blog_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11232 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/1-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"389\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>So although it\u2019s important to assume the majority of qualitative research participants aren\u2019t maliciously telling untruths, it happens often enough to make you really think about why it\u2019s happening and what you can do about it.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also very possible that they simply don\u2019t remember an answer. If you are asking a question about whether or not someone will buy from you again in the future (or subscribe to your service), you are likely to get a positive response that doesn\u2019t mirror the true future.<\/p>\n<p>These all point to one overwhelmingly clear pattern: a clearly poorly designed qualitative research method. Some questions shouldn\u2019t be asked in that specific format, or the way the question is asked almost forces a specific kind of response, leading to a greater change of untruths. Growing up in the 1990\u2019s and early 2000s, I had to fill plenty of forms and always got asked the question of my ethnicity. I could never figure out where I belonged exactly \u2013 in what group. It felt limiting and likely lead me to select what felt right but wasn\u2019t actually right.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So let\u2019s break it down \u2013 why do participants lie and what can you do about it? <\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Participants care about appearances: When you ask for demographical details, income details, employment details, people hate appearing like they\u2019re worse off than others.<\/li>\n<li>Participants want to stay socially viable: If there is something socially unacceptable, people will tend to tell untruths about the reality of their situation. Think about a topic like voting \u2013 it\u2019s socially undesirable to be a citizen that simply does not vote or participate.<\/li>\n<li>Participants are sensitive too: Social and personal questions, including illegal behaviors, may lead participants to tell untruths about realities they deal with.<\/li>\n<li>Participants aren\u2019t malicious and want to \u201chelp:\u201d If they think that\u2019s the answer the research wants to hear, they will give the answer they believe the research \u201cneeds\u201d in order to please or help them.<\/li>\n<li>Participants are human which means greedy: If there is something in it for them, or they think there is, they will shape the answer to meet their needs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Ok, this is a little disheartening, but qualitative research is still quite invaluable. The key is how to use it, using what method, how to conduct it and analyze it. But first\u2026<\/p>\n<h2>The basics: what is qualitative research?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"blog_img\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11207 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"203\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Image Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/dataproresearch.com\/index.php\/type-of-research\">qualitativeresearch<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helpscout.net\/blog\/customer-interview\/\">Elizabeth Wellington describes<\/a> it well:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cIn his book \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/How-Customers-Think-Essential-Insights\/dp\/1578518261\">How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market<\/a><\/em><em>,\u201d Zaltman characterizes this part of the mind as a \u201cwonderful, if messy, stew of memories, emotions, thoughts, and other cognitive processes we\u2019re not aware of or that we can\u2019t articulate.\u201d As customers, we make decisions from that convoluted (and unexamined) place. Without the amygdalae \u2014 the instinctual part of our brain that generates emotions \u2014 we wouldn\u2019t be able to make any decisions at all.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>It\u2019s a not a single approach, but rather a very broad systematic collection and organization and interpretation of textual information.<\/p>\n<p>There is no one way to conduct qualitative research. It is definitely complicated. The<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> wrong question be it open ended questions or close-ended questions\u00a0 can lead to useless data. <\/span>It definitely requires much organization and categorization. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And finally, qualitative data requires deep interpretation and many methods of doing that, one of which is textual analysis<\/span>. A well-formed open ended question is the key to good research and often leads to more research and more questions. When you consider what a good research question is, consider that it should include the following qualities:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It is inductive, exploratory.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s impartial in the statement, and there are no underlying hints given<\/li>\n<li>Careful focusing on a single idea, don\u2019t overdo it by asking too much<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How To Conduct Qualitative Research<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11208 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"485\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Image Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.evergage.com\/blog\/use-qualitative-research-kickstart-segmentation-process\/\">qualitativeresearchprocess<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set a goal<\/h3>\n<p>Never begin a qualitative research activity without having oriented yourself with what it is you are trying to learn and achieve. Otherwise, you will not be able to formulate the right question, nor come up with the correct mechanism and\/or setting to conduct your research.<\/p>\n<p>If you know your goal, and you are familiar with the different methods of conducting qualitative research and the application of those methods; which will be covered later in this blog, you will have a better outcome with the research. Ultimately whatever method of research you select based on your goal, will help identify what processes must be followed for the best results.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, part of your goals should include who the participants that you are targeting are. Throwing a wide net to all visitors of a website is less meaningful then selecting a segment depending on the question(s) being asked.<\/p>\n<h3>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consider the Outcomes<\/h3>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11209 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"355\" \/><\/h3>\n<p>There are few possible products or outcomes that can come out of qualitative research. The outcomes are highly dependent on the type of qualitative research you conduct as well. Some of the outcomes you can expect include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recurrent themes and hypotheses<\/li>\n<li>Survey instrument measures<\/li>\n<li>Taxonomies<\/li>\n<li>Conceptual models (theories)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cNot everything that can be counted counts; not everything that counts can be counted.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>Albert Einstein<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>One thing to understand about qualitative research is it\u2019s almost never about the numbers, but rather the overall meaning. You\u2019re essentially capturing a specific aspect of social or psychological life.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.interaction-design.org\/literature\/article\/how-to-visualize-your-qualitative-user-research-results-for-maximum-impact\">According to Priscilla Esser and Ditte Mortensen:<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cWhen you\u2019re sharing results from qualitative user research efforts, you\u2019re most likely focusing on creating an understanding for the lives people lead, the tasks that they need to fulfill, and the interactions they must effect so as to achieve what they need or want to do.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>So, what does that mean for you? Well for one, there are some important considerations to keep in mind, which will better help you interpret the data:<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Don\u2019t expect a single answer.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 You will always get a multitude of answers that you must decipher.\u00a0 Looking at the data, <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">don\u2019t look at it from a quantitative analysis perspective because you\u2019re looking for quantitative data<\/span>, because it\u2019s not like that. You\u2019re merely telling a story. Your story may not be entirely true; however, it MUST be: plausible, and coherent, and if you want some truth behind it and a stronger case: quantitative data to back it up.<\/p>\n<h3>3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Know the context to better understand the responses<\/h3>\n<p>A key area to think about when it comes to qualitative data is that it\u2019s relative.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11212 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"309\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cTruth can be compelling without being absolute.\u201d<\/em> Remember ultimately that many truths are relative, especially considering qualitative data.<\/p>\n<p>So, you need to understand and think about context when you conduct and analyze the data coming from qualitative research.<\/p>\n<p>Context includes:<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Source of traffic<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 understand the journey that brought them to your site will help you understand why they answer what they answer. A great place to start is by analyzing the sources of traffic that brought these visitors to your site in the first place. That way you can understand their journey that much better.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Bias<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 There\u2019s no way around it, qualitative data is tainted with bias. While quantitative data enjoys an absolute truth because numbers are numbers, qualitative data is quite the opposite. Trying to gauge human bias in your sample group is important for context.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Subjectivity<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 we always say as a golden rule to optimization is that you want to get from subjectivity to objectivity and data-driven changes. However, it\u2019s important to recognize that qualitative data is quite subjective during the analysis process. That\u2019s why you want to try and pain some of that qual data with analytics or other qual data to provide objectivity to a particular issue you uncovered.<\/p>\n<h3>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eliminate Researcher Bias<\/h3>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11213 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M8.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"450\" \/><\/h3>\n<p>You\u2019re biased. Everyone is. As a researcher, however, this bias can stand in the way of asking the right questions and seeing other perspectives. So, our recommendation is to have some sort of a questionnaire or checklist before going into the research to ensure that you practice good reflexivity:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Consider 5 factors how participants will view you (presumptions)? Because you are the company asking, how will that affect the answers they give?<\/li>\n<li>Then consider the 5 factors that impact the way you analyze data (as a researcher). Consider what assumptions you, as the researcher, have about life, people, website or business, and how those factors may shape your reading of the data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That brings us to two important terms that everyone who conducts qualitative research should know: Ontology and Epistemology.<\/p>\n<p>Ontology refers to what is nature of the research vs. the reality. Ultimately, the researcher\u2019s philosophical assumptions about the nature of reality.<\/p>\n<p>Epistemology refers to what is possible to know and how we can generate meaningful knowledge. So, the researcher\u2019s assumptions on the best ways to inquire to find out the truth. Being aware of these two terms helps you understand that you too have a bias. Knowing it and understanding what will help combat it can give allow for a better chance to ensure your research will not be polluted.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing these two terms will help you construct \u201c3 fundamental questions to your research:<\/p>\n<p><strong>The ontological question:<\/strong> What is the form and nature of reality?<\/p>\n<p><strong>The epistemological question:<\/strong> What is the basic belief about knowledge (what can be known)?<\/p>\n<p><strong>The methodological question:<\/strong> How can the research go about finding what she believes can be known?\u201d (Guba, Lincoln 1994)<\/p>\n<h3>5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Beware of subjectivity<\/h3>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11215 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"544\" \/><\/h3>\n<p>Ultimately, researchers often fall into the mistake of subjecting histories, assumptions, and values into research the research they conduct. \u00a0This is why as researchers we must be consciously practicing <em>reflexivity<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Reflexivity refers to the reflective process in which a researcher considers how the findings were produced, taking into consideration the prior knowledge, and our role in it.<\/p>\n<h3>6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Understand the Who?<\/h3>\n<p>The second most important consideration is the Who of your research. While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/how-to-use-google-analytics-to-increase-conversions\/\">quantitative research<\/a> often samples large groups of people <em>randomly, <\/em>there is a lot more purpose and specificity to the selection of smaller samples for qualitative research. Because the samples are smaller, they must be less random.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11218 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"368\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Image source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.slideshare.net\/anthonyyeong\/introduction-to-business-research-methods\">Slideshare<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Data Sampling: There are many ways of sampling data, however, for the purpose of this article, we will talk about two ways:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Probability sampling: This is selecting a truly random, yet statistically representative sample that can be generalized to a better understanding of the greater population (market) This is used in quantitative data collection.<\/li>\n<li>Purposeful sampling: selecting \u201cinformation-rich cases\u201d (Patton 1990) for deeper research. From these smaller, yet sought-out samples, you can learn a great deal about issues that are central to the research. The purpose is to \u201cselect information-rich cases whose study will illuminate the question under study.\u201d (Patton) This is used in qualitative data collection.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Determine key informants: Again, the aim is at being purposeful when it comes to sampling. Seek out, specific individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Breadth not representatives: You aren\u2019t looking for general public, yet people with the extreme circumstance that make them eligible for the study. For instance, I\u2019m looking to understand what makes individuals loyal to my brand. The average loyal customer shops 2 \u2013 3 times a year. I would seek out those customers who shop over 8 or 9 times a year.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sample size<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>depends on the complexity of inquiry and type of qual research (cannot be clearly determined in advance)<\/li>\n<li>determined by \u201ctheoretical saturation (a point at which no new concepts emerge from data)\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Select the right Qualitative Research method<\/h3>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11219 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"741\" \/><\/h3>\n<p>Image Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/uxdesign.cc\/a-crash-course-in-ux-design-research-ea00c3307c82\">methodsuxdesign<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Qualitative research involves different formats and methods, each with a specific use and aim.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The methods include face-to-face or phone interviews, focus groups, observation (natural settings), textual (polls, surveys), listening to audio recordings of conversations between customer support and customers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.interaction-design.org\/literature\/article\/best-practices-for-qualitative-user-research\">According to Ditte Mortensen:<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cQualitative methods such as interviews, ethnographic field studies, and (to some degree) usability tests are often more exploratory and seek to get a more in-depth understanding of the individual users\u2019 or user group\u2019s experiences, motivations, and everyday lives.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h4>Interviews<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/web.ics.purdue.edu\/~admagana\/CMaps\/ResearchMethods\/7qualitative_interviewing.pdf\">Interviews should be considered<\/a> as \u201cconversations with a purpose.\u201d There are two ways to conducting interviews. Face-to-face or via phone. While in today\u2019s digital world, people are less likely to conduct face-face, the chances of accuracy are always less likely when you can\u2019t view the person and their expressions when they answer.<\/p>\n<p>Topics and issues to be covered are specified in advance, in outline form; the interviewer decides sequence and the outline increases the comprehensiveness of the data and makes data collection somewhat systematic for each respondent. Logical gaps in Important and salient topics may be inadvertently omitted. Interviewer flexibility in sequencing and wording questions can result in the wording of questions in the course of the interview. data can be anticipated and closed. Interviews remain fairly conversational and situational. substantially different responses from different perspectives, thus reducing the comparability of responses.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Useful for:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Individual perspectives and experiences<\/li>\n<li>Sensitive topics<\/li>\n<li>Situations where there is perceived danger of reprisal<\/li>\n<li>Topics that cannot be investigated through surveys<\/li>\n<li>Gathering in-depth information about a topic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Focus Groups<\/h4>\n<p>When we think focus groups, a lot of times, the picture of a group of people evaluating some sort of product that is going to be rolled out pops into mind.<\/p>\n<p>According to the\u00a0Marketing Research Association,<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u00a0\u201cA focus group is the meeting of a small group of individuals who are guided through a discussion by a trained moderator (or consultant). The goal of the focus group is to get beyond superficial answers and uncover insights on consumer attitudes and behavior.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The key behind focus groups is trying to generate narrative data in a focused discussion. The nature of this format is about the group dynamics offering a wide range of perspectives and views on a common experience. Because many people are participating, it helps to activate forgotten details. It\u2019s also revealing in the way people speak about issues.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Useful for:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Characterizing social and cultural norms<\/li>\n<li>Sharing and comparing<\/li>\n<li>Revealing how people talk about an issue<\/li>\n<li>Exploring sensitive topics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Observation<\/h4>\n<h4><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11229 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M17.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"453\" \/><\/h4>\n<p>Observation is defined as the recording o<em>f the behavior <\/em>of the sample. Many usability experts use observation and eye-tracking tools when they conduct a study online to specifically gauge more of the participant\u2019s facial and body language. Although participants may say they weren\u2019t frustrated by a feature or experience post the observation, their body language, and facial expressions tell a different story. It is best used when applied to visitors in their natural environments. For instance, if a company that offers teachers classroom management tool wants to understand more about how and when teachers use their product answering questions about the agility of the software, they would send a team to classrooms using the software and observe over a number of days how the teacher interacts with it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Useful for:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Individual perspectives and experiences<\/li>\n<li>Difficult to gauge through interview experiences<\/li>\n<li>Complimenting usability studies<\/li>\n<li>Topics that cannot be investigated through surveys<\/li>\n<li>Gathering in-depth information about a topic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Textual (polls and surveys)<\/h4>\n<p>The go-to for most marketers because it\u2019s easiest and least invasive. However, with all of the positives, the responses you can be getting about certain questions may need to be taken with a big spoonful of salt. Of course, if you know how to use polls and surveys, and what type of questions work with this format, it can prove useful. What\u2019s also key to polls and surveys is first identifying, of course, the goal, but then the segment that would best provide you with the answers that have the greatest specificity and accuracy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Useful for:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Specific segment perspectives and experiences<\/li>\n<li>Broad topics<\/li>\n<li>Situations where participants can feel free to criticize<\/li>\n<li>Demographical data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Keep your online surveys as short and concise<\/strong><strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/keep-online-surveys-short\/\">\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The vast majority of the customers have a tendency to avoid long surveys. People do not have the patience nor the time to click through and answer any questions. There\u2019s a higher likelihood that people will fill out short and clear surveys. From my own experience, if I see a question to rate an experience, for example, where I need to click through in order to get to another screen where the question is listed, I will likely opt out. Let it be easy and visible from the outset to increase <a href=\"http:\/\/www.daa.com.au\/analytical-ideas\/response-rates\/\">response rate<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11220 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"858\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Image source:<\/strong> Econsultancy<\/p>\n<h2>Response rate<\/h2>\n<p>For qualitative data, the response is more heavily focused on the quality, and not the quantity. For surveys and polls, there is a possibility to tap into a greater number of participants. However, the aim should not be solely focused on the number of respondents, but rather if you were able to get quality responses from the specific segment you were after.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, with some kinds of polls and surveys (especially quality or experience assurance or NPS) you need to factor quantity as well. There are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/polls-101-a-kickstart-guide-to-knowing-you-customers-and-increasing-conversions-on-your-website\/\">several factors<\/a> that determine the validity of a survey. Population size, margin of error, confidence level, sample size, and response rate.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Response rate:<\/strong> Number of valid responses \/ total number of people invited to respond. When you make an investment about anything, you expect high ROI (return on investment) of a project right? The response rate is the ROI of a survey. You need high response rate to be sure that you are collecting valid data.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/\">Checkout 34 ways to improve your survey response rate:<\/a><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Disguise your survey as a quiz\">1. Disguise your survey as a quiz<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Avoid the spam filter\">18. Avoid the spam filter<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Limit the number of surveys\">2. Limit the number of surveys<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#The Anita-effect\">19. The Anita-effect<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#The ideal survey length\">3. The ideal survey length<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Personalize your emails\">20. Personalize your emails<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#How to find your demographic\">4. How to find your demographic<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Think of a catchy subject line\">21. Think of a catchy subject line<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#The respondent\u2019s experience\">5. The respondent\u2019s experience<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Use buttons\">22. Use buttons<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#The right type of question\">6. The right type of question<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#The email checklist\">23. The email checklist<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Respect people\u2019s privacy\">7. Respect people\u2019s privacy<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Do your follow-up\">24. Do your follow-up<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#How many responses do you need?\">8. How many responses do you need?<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Repurpose unopened emails\">25. Repurpose unopened emails<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Branded surveys\">9. Branded surveys<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Incentivize\">26. Incentivize<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Use a progress bar\">10. Use a progress bar<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Some people just want to voice their opinion\">27. Some people just want to voice their opinion<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Make the first page simple\">11. Make the first page simple<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Invoke reciprocity\">28. Invoke reciprocity<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Where to ask for demographics\">12. Where to ask for demographics<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#No hablo espa\u00f1ol\">29. No hablo espa\u00f1ol<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Optimize your surveys for all devices\">13. Optimize your surveys for all devices<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Use images strategically\">30. Use images strategically<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Apply skip logic\">14. Apply skip logic<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Offer the opportunity to share the survey\">31. Offer the opportunity to share the survey<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Use piping\">15. Use piping<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Have someone at the other end\">32. Have someone at the other end<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Review the questionnaire\">16. Review the questionnaire<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Publish your results and act on them\">33. Publish your results and act on them<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Send out pre-notifications\">17. Send out pre-notifications<\/a><\/td>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/surveyanyplace.com\/improve-survey-response-rate\/#Be grateful\">34. Be grateful<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>By implementing some of the above strategies, you can improve your response rates from 30% to 55%.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.peoplepulse.com\/resources\/useful-articles\/survey-response-rates\/\">PeoplePulse<\/a>, IBM\u2019s innovation center, ran B2B online surveys from 2000 to 2001. After some changes in their survey structure, they managed to double their response rate. The two variables they tested on the surveys were offering incentives and shortening the survey. The incentive increased response rates 10-15%.<\/p>\n<h3>8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Asking the right questions<\/h3>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11221 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"302\" \/><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your questions will vary depending on the goal and format you will be conducting the qualitative research. Whether it\u2019s interviews, ethnographic research, focus groups, or surveys, questions must be identified clearly before beginning the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ve considered your goal, thought about the biases that may pollute your reading of the responses and consider who it is you are asking: your job now is to think about the questions.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to asking research questions, a lot of bias towards the \u201canswer you expect\u201d can sway your approach to constructing sound, unbiased questions.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips to consider:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Use a verb:<\/em><\/strong> Remember, your role is to ask them to describe, characterize, understand, consider. That line of questioning will put the ball in their court.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Identify the topic of interest:<\/strong> <\/em>Be clear about what the actual topic is first, then ask the question, in order to give them context.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Non-directional neutral language:<\/strong> <\/em>Remember, many times we inject our personal feelings into a question which will, in turn, create a bias in the responses.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Define the sample and setting:<\/em> <\/strong>How will you conduct your research \u2013 what method? The question may differ based on those decisions. A statement of why you are conducting the research is helpful at this point: like the goal is to XXX.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>As precise as possible:<\/em> <\/strong>Most of the work happens in the question construction phase, if you rush and create a haphazard question, you are likely to get haphazard answers that add no value to your research.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Samples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To explore the views of men who read XXX skin research blog<\/p>\n<p>To understand XXX visitor views on XXX<\/p>\n<p>To describe and classify the factors that determine motivations of visitors for xxx<\/p>\n<p>To understand the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, preferences, and barriers regarding XXX amongst XX visitors<\/p>\n<p>To characterize barriers to XXX among male\/female visitors, who are currently enrolled, registered, new, returning, oligarchs,<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/masscommtheory.com\/2011\/05\/05\/writing-good-qualitative-research-questions\/\">Mass communication theory<\/a> has some good ideas on how to structure the questions you will be asking.<\/p>\n<p>They recommend formatting it into what I would describe as almost a data tree structure.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Research Problem<\/li>\n<li>Goal: or qualitative purpose statement<\/li>\n<li>Determine method of research that is best suited to achieve the goals<\/li>\n<li>The research questions (that narrow the purpose):\n<ul>\n<li>Central<\/li>\n<li>Sub-questions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To hone in on the right questions, Mass Communication Theory suggests using the following scripts to identify the relation between the question and the qualitative purpose statement:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCentral question script (use only one):<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat does it mean to _________________ (central phenomenon)?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow would ______________ (participants) describe (central phenomenon)?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sub-question script: \u201cWhat _________ (aspect) does __________ (participant) engage in as a _____________ (central phenomenon)?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other tips for asking questions<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Take a look at a chart <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/open-ended-questions\/\">NN Group<\/a> mentions how to ask <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/writing-open-ended-and-closed-ended-questions-for-user-research\/\">open-ended<\/a> questions:<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11222 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M14.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"1272\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Here are the possible questions to be asked upon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/guide-to-optimize-saas-pricing\/\">buying process:<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What matters to you when buying product\/service?<\/li>\n<li>How long did the buying process take on average? Do you think it is short\/long?<\/li>\n<li>What are we doing worse\/better compared to our competitors?<\/li>\n<li>Which hesitations did you have before buying? Are there still any, please clarify?<\/li>\n<li>What made you buy from us?<\/li>\n<li>What would you recommend us to better improve our product\/service for next time?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.omniconvert.com\/5-fantastics-boost-conversions-using-qualitative-research.html\">Andra Baragan states:<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cWhen surveying your customers, you don\u2019t want to just survey anyone and everyone. The best way to do it is to survey only recent customers because they won\u2019t hold a biased opinion, and their experiences with you are still fresh. If possible, survey them immediately after they purchase. The faster you survey post-purchase customers, the more accurate your results will be.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Conduct Qualitative Data analysis<\/h3>\n<div class=\"blog_img\">\n<div class=\"blog_img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11228 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/M16.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"869\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The part of digital marketing that always baffles me is the amount of data available for analysis but left unused. There is so much effort that goes into the creation of research, but by the time it\u2019s said and done, marketers feel exhausted and don\u2019t pay close attention to what the results are<em> really saying.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The key to conducting qualitative data analysis is to ensure there is sufficient, quality data. Looking at that data, there are several ways to analyze it. You will have likely considered the analysis needed for your specific qualitative research method previous to receiving the results.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Thematic analysis<\/strong><\/em>: identifying themes and patterns of meaning across a dataset in relation to a research question<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Grounded theory:<\/em><\/strong> Questions about social and\/or psychological processes; focus on building theory from data.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Interpretative phenomenological analysis:<\/em> <\/strong>Analysis aimed at seeking insights into the meanings that events and experiences hold for people.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Discourse analysis:<\/em><\/strong> Analysis of understanding more about how certain terms are being used. What is said and why it might be said?<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Narrative analysis:<\/em><\/strong> Analysis based on seeking greater understanding of unique perspectives brought on by individuals. It is based on seeing how individuals make meaning using stories. How these individuals make sense of their external and internal world.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Types of qualitative research methods in UX design<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>1. Grounded theory.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This systematic methodology was developed by sociologists Glaser and Strauss in the 1960s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grounded theory is a qualitative research method in which researchers come up with theories and hypotheses that are grounded in empirical data\/observations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of researchers developing a theory before examining data, grounded theory works the other way around. Researchers come up with theories after examining the data and finding patterns along with categories.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Card sorting.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Card sorting typically presents users with a series of categories or topics written on cards and invites them to organize them in such a way that makes sense to them. Card sorting is a great way to understand what might be intuitive to users and what web or platform design structure users expect. It is also a relatively quick, easy, and cheap method to execute.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Diary studies.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0By getting users to log their habits over time, diary studies offer a research approach that yields insightful data that can then help businesses understand users\u2019 daily habits, needs, and behaviors. It also meets users\u2019 where they are\u2014having them document their day as it\u2019s happening instead of asking for them to recount an interaction after the fact.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Qualitative data analysis.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also known as thematic analysis, this method involves analyzing qualitative data for themes that can help answer a research question or find meaning within a data set. The results of a thematic analysis can influence design decisions by helping developers zero in on user needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Wrapping Up<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qualitative research is a type of research in the social sciences that focuses on non-numerical data as opposed to quantitative data that\u2019s full of numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get the best from conducting any qualitative research, you need to focus on the quality of answers, not the number of respondents.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Quantitative data is focused on how large the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/calculating-sample-size-for-an-ab-test\/\">sample size<\/a> is; qualitative data is focused on the quality of the information from a smaller sample size.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, don\u2019t limit yourself to one type of qualitative research method; employ many, like ethnographic research methods, interviews, focus groups, textual analysis, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Whoever said qualitative data was easy or required little precision or attention to detail are the same people that sold AB testing as an easy-to-use tool that any marketer can simply apply to their activities. It is precise, scientific, and driven by knowing who you are targeting, being conscious of your biases, and constructing sound problem statements, goals, and questions.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Additional Resources<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>1. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/open-ended-questions-and-closed-ended-questions-what-they-are-and-how-they-affect-user-research\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open-ended questions and close-ended questions: What they\u2019re and how they affect user research.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>2. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/the-paradox-of-human-behavior-in-web-design-novel-vs-routine-tasks\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Paradox Of User Behavior In Web Design: Novel vs. Routine Tasks<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>3. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/ux-data-analysis-for-conversion-optimization\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Guide To UX Data Analysis For Actionable Insights<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"blog_img\"><a href=\"https:\/\/offer.invespcro.com\/the-ultimate-list-of-online-polling-ques\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11224 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/images\/blog-images\/The-Ultimate-List-of-Online-Polling-Questions.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1389\" height=\"405\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 18<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Customers don\u2019t think like we do. And similarly, what we may think looks or sounds right for our company and website, or what may be a primary motivator of visitors, could (and is most likely) completely off. Elizabeth Wellington explains; \u201cCustomers give information that reveals their\u00a0attitudes\u00a0(how they think they should behave) rather than behaviors (how [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11233,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,35,18],"tags":[87,245,533,534,491,109,535],"class_list":["post-11201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cro","category-sales-marketing","category-ux","tag-general","tag-intermediate","tag-interviews","tag-polls","tag-qualitative-research","tag-resource","tag-surveys"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11201"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11201\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}