Research Methods and Technical Skills

Qualitative research, which allows an in-depth look at the topic of concern
  • Standard focus groups
  • Perception Analyzer® focus groups
  • Quick-series focus groups
  • Dyads and triads
  • Ethnographic and in-home focus groups
  • Executive and personal interviewing
  • Ad testing
Quantitative research, which allows projection of survey results to the larger population
  • By telephone, in person, Internet and mail
  • CATI (Computer-assisted telephone interviewing)
  • Program evaluation (pre-post)
  • Political polling for candidates and issues
  • Competitive analyses
  • Benchmark and tracking surveys
  • Employee “climate” surveys
  • Customer and citizen satisfaction surveys
  • Positioning and branding surveys
  • Market potential studies
  • Product positioning
  • Supply and demand determination
Secondary literature review and analysis
  • Data from your organization
  • Census data and census projections
  • Academic studies
  • Competitor data
  • Popular press articles
  • Internet search
  • Research librarian assistance for “out-there” projects
Strategic planning and facilitation
  • Creation of strategic plans
  • Facilitation of group decision making retreats
  • Conflict-resolution mini retreats
  • Brainstorming sessions
  • Compression planning
  • Marketing plans
Additional technical skills
  • Analysis of qualitative data
  • Computer data entry and analysis
  • Concatenation of data sets for analysis across groups and/or over time
  • Univariate analysis (means, frequencies),
  • Bivariate analysis (chi-squares, t-tests, oneway ANOVAs, simple regression)
  • Multivariate analyses (multiple hierarchical regression, logistic regression, MANOVA, ANCOVA, factor analysis, cluster analysis, structural equation modeling)
  • Contingent valuation
  • Geospatial analysis, such as ArcView GIS mapping capabilities
Reporting skills
  • Clear, concise writing
  • Reports written for three levels of comprehension: for those who want a one-page summary; for those who want more information; and for those who want ALL the information.

We stay abreast of our profession via participation in professional organizations. Our firm’s professionals are members of:

  • American Association for Public Opinion Research
  • Ohio Program Evaluators’ Group
  • Market Research Exchange of Central Ohio.