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Preparing for the “Next Normal” - The Pros and Cons of Online Qual 28th May 2020
Speakers: Anne Sophie Damelincourt, Founder & Owner, Blue Lemon Insight & Strategy, ESOMAR Council & Treasurer
Jane Nzomo, Managing Director, Consumer Options, Kenya
Milcah Asamba-Roimen, Associate Director, KANTAR East Africa
Joseph Ogeto, Research Director , Global Research Insights, Kenya
Mariem Lahlou, Managing Partner & Head of Research, ThinkOne, Morocco
William Yattah, Co-Founder, Discussnow, France
Moderation: Jasper Grosskurth, Managing Director, Dalberg Research, Kenya ESOMAR Representative for Kenya Methodologies Types of projects Pros/Cons Tips & Tricks METHODOLOGIES
FOCUS GROUPS & INTERVIEWS • Via free access applications / websites (Zoom, JoinMe, Whatsapp, Facetime, Viber ..) or professional platforms (MR Qual, Itracks, ..) with video • Based on ad hoc or access panel recruitment • Traditional moderation (almost like face to face)
ONLINE COMMUNITIES • Via free access platforms/applications (Google) or professional platforms (Respondi, Liveminds, etc.) • Based on ad hoc recruitment or on access panel (depending on the number of participants) • Moderation based on pre-programmed questions and probes
CHAT • Via applications (SMS, Whatsapp, Messenger,..) • Based on ad hoc recruitment • Traditional /real discussion (Programmed for chatbot) TYPES OF PROJECTS
WIDE SPECTRUM OF RESEARCH TYPES • Concept test • Communication test • Exploratory research / insight generation • Ideation workshops • Branding, positioning research • Targeting / profiling studies • U & A, ethnography • CX / UX • Segmentation research* • Product testing* • Shopper research PROS/CONS
• Simplicity of management, moderation • Access (internet, equipment, technical) • Interactivity (participants and clients) • No / less decoding of the non-verbal (body • Geographical spread language) • Reality, in people's lives (at home or in a • Less feeling of emotions than face to face store vs a room) (in home ++) • Short or long term (communities) • Limitation of access panels in Africa • Lower cost (for online groups) • No travel (participants, moderators, clients) TIPS & TRICKS
• Be empathetic, close to people • Anticipate • Focus on smaller groups • Don’t forget rules and privacy • Adapt your discussion guides • Educate, reassure, show examples • Be inventive and imaginative Qualitative Methodology to Insights Crisis Adaptability Contents: Qual relevance: Normal vs. New normal
Methodologies: Whats working, whats NOT?
Solutions: Adapted (Hybrid vs. traditional)
Future of qual methodologies in Africa: Online? F2F? Hybrid? Qual relevance during crisis
• Qualitative research more relevant than ever in understanding people/communities
• Qual methodologies rendered ‘useless’
• In Africa, online qual proving challenging to implement esp. in rural and unconnected communities
• Qual relies on analysis of emotions, words, body language, tonality, culture etc- non F2F qual will offer a minimized value of findings
• More than ever before, innovative qual methodologies will work among African contexts (70%+ live in rural vs. 30% in urban) What’s working, what is NOT?
Working solutions: NOT working: 1. F2F online solutions/ Online qual: Limited 1. FGDs: F2F group set ups challenging/ in coverage and depth of information impossible- or expensive where possible
2. Telephonis IDI’s: Interviews with pre 2. IDI’s/ KIIs: F2F interviewing limited identified targets 3. Close contact observations: Ethnographic 3. Photographic documentation: Picture type observations of subjects limited speak data more useful than before 4. Street intercepts: Challenging from 4. Observations: Embedded qualies among recruitment stage consumers
5. Ethnographies: Behavioural studies/ observations
6. Hybrid (Qual/Quant): Follow up surveys to establish why’s to observed behaviour and existing quant data Case studies- Trial hybrid methodologies
HYBRID QUAL METHODOLOGIES USED…
1. Ethno-Observations: Limited in coverage and depth of information
2. Photography: Picture speak with involvement of sociology, anthropology experts
3. Telephone (KII/IDI): Picture speak data more useful than before
4. Verification methods: On claimed data/information from consumers, subjects
5. Hybrid (Qual/Quant): Self completion methods to follow up on observed behaviour and existing quant data Solutions: Adapted (Hybrid vs. traditional)
• One-size fits all methodologies are now being challenged by current status
• RURAL vs. URBAN innovative adaptable methods could be explored more- without diverting from known and proven qual methodologies – Participatory qual methodologies NOT entirely working with social distancing – Third Party independent observations followed by IDI/KIIs to validate information offering some solutions
• More social science based and adaptable methodologies for African contexts need more exploration
• A mix of traditional methodologies where possible can be incorporated in new adaptations of qual methods of getting consumer data Making the leap: shifting all our qual online Making the leap; shifting all qualitative online
The experience • Recruitment – not quite a challenge >> databases and snow balling • The sessions – time is not an issue; infact consumers are happy to talk about their experiences with strangers considering their normal social circles have ideally been severed The challenges • Technologically infants especially for the lower socio economic participants • Low phone storage capacities that limit downloading of the interviewing apps • Initial couple of minutes spent figuring how to use apps that they are possibly using for the first time • Sharing of sensitive stimuli While gaining on time and maybe cost, I am not sure we are
The Gains • Time efficient – can talk to participants from all the regions in the span of one day • Participant more relaxed, not pressed for time, settle into vey easy communications The Losses • Travelling to the locations gives the researcher a market feel / context that cannot be gained by a participant narrating their version • Loss of eye contact – eyes are the gates to the soul and the way online screens are set; there is no point where you feel like you are looking into the participants eyes and vice versa Some Do’s and Don’ts
The Do’s Qualitative is about getting into the consumer’s underlying motivations • Keep it simple and real for them; the simpler and easier to use apps preferred and helps focus participants' attention • Adhere to the already existing data privacy regulations and rules
The Don’ts • Assumption that consumers have phones with capacity Our model A holistic approach with 360°insight generation
PEERS MENTAL Isolate group dynamics and Take into account the social influence mental and physical state
ENVIRONMENT FEELINGS Put in context and observe the Collect data environment on emotions first HABITS Understand consumption habits Facilitate and streamline interactions between brands and consumers using #whatsapp #facebookmessenger
Whatsapp is the mainly #whatsapp messaging app used in Africa with Facebook messenger Beware of phishing scams!
Your turn to speak!
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If you can't speak, please type your remarks in the chat! Resources
• ESOMAR/GRBN Online Research Guideline • ESOMAR/GRBN Guidelines on Online Sample Quality • ESOMAR/GRBN Guideline on Mobile Research • ESOMAR Guideline on Social Media Research • ESOMAR 28 Questions to Help Buyers of Online Samples Thank you so much for your participation!
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Resources: www.esomar.org