Other Qualitative Techniques

Based on the need for primary consumer information and the contribution that qualitative research can provide to clients, other research techniques are used in addition to focus group sessions.

In-depth Interviews (IDI)

These consist of conducting an unstructured interview, which main objective is to thoroughly probe a single person, so that he/she feels comfortable and free to express in detail his/her beliefs, attitudes and feelings about a topic under study. It is recommended in the following cases:

When it requires information about a confidential, highly emotional, or awkward subject (E.g. Studies on the use of financial services).
When it involves addressing behaviors for which there are socially acceptable rules and the need to compromise with them within the focus groups influences responses (e.g., food category price sensitivity studies).v
When it includes a complex behavioral or decision-making process that requires a detailed step-by-step idiosyncratic description (e.g., needs assessment study).
When group interviews are difficult to schedule for the target population (e.g. Brand Loyalty Studies on high profile managers).

Projective Techniques

Projective Techniques derived from psychoanalytic theory are used as a resource for further investigation. The underlying principle of this technique is that people project themselves onto an image, figure or something external, mainly because it is very difficult to talk about oneself, so through a third party (projection) they can communicate things that are not verbalized in the first person. These are generally very soft techniques that include activities such as cutting and pasting. This allows respondents to feel more relaxed and provide useful information that is difficult to access in any other way.

Ethnographic Studies

It is a technique that collects very comprehensive information about all facets of consumers in their natural and everyday state and habitat.

The fundamental objective of ethnography is to understand the meanings that support the behaviors and interaction dynamics of the person in real time and environments.

The researcher becomes part of the consumer’s environment and context, following the norms under which the consumer operates and behaving as its individuals do.

Netnographic studies

It is a new research method to investigate what happens in virtual communities and what happens on the Internet. The method derives from the application of ethnography to the study of cyberspace.

Its object of study is online communities, and the most important thing for the researcher is to recognize the characteristics of these communities and understand how they function.

The aim is to establish relationships with the members of the community, as well as to study the language, symbols and norms of the community, without the researcher’s identity being known.

Observational Studies

It is a process of attention, collection and recording of information for which the researcher relies on his senses.

The advantage of this technique is that it allows information to be obtained independently of the studied people’s willingness to provide it. In addition, it makes it possible to perceive events with a high level of spontaneity.

Observations are made at the point of sale to evaluate the factors that influence sales behavior and promotions.

Purchase simulations

It consists of the observation by a specialist of the interaction that a person establishes with the product, along with other competitors, and the completion of some questions that each participant will answer in writing followed by a short discussion of what was observed.

It is a technique that evaluates in an overall manner spontaneous elements that are relevant to the participant in terms of image, purchasing processes and interaction of the products.

The technique can also be adapted to online simulation, which consists of obtaining information on consumer preferences in an online environment that simulates one or more supermarket shelves. Respondents will execute a virtual purchase of the products they usually consume by making a record of this behavior.

Mystery Shopper:

This consists of mystery shoppers visiting points of sale or public places in an incognito manner, allowing dependents or service providers to act in a natural way.

It is used to investigate aspects related to quality of service, compliance with regulations by employees to assess customer services in a discreet and professional manner.

It is also applied to identify competitors’ prices and evaluate competing establishments for comparison purposes.

Mystery shoppers’ job is not to give opinions or judgments or to express their preferences; their job is to obtain details and provide evidence of characteristics, facts or situations that take place in the establishment.

Datanalisis adheres to ESOMAR‘s ethical guidelines for conducting this type of research. The core principles for the application of this technique are as follows:

It must be carried out without representing a waste of time or financial resources of the companies or individuals under study.
It should not abuse the goodwill of individuals and should not affect their performance.
The results report should not show or refer to particular individuals or points of sale - only to aggregate results.
Recording should not be done if it jeopardizes the anonymity of the persons under study.

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Other Qualitative Techniques