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In his book, Qualitative Market Research: A Comprehensive Guide (Sage, 2001, www.sagepub.com ), Hy Mariampolski details best practices for every aspect of the qualitative marketing research process. The following excerpt from the Guide's "Managing Qualitative Research" chapter offers practical advice for launching a study with a set of actionable objectives.
Establishing Clear Project Objectives
Executing research is simplified if the manager establishes a clear set of research objectives at the outset. The statement of objectives represents ground zero-the starting point against which all other elements of planning and implementation must be measured. A useful set of objectives has a number of characteristics that shape all of the details, including the respondent screener and discussion guide. Here are some guidelines for developing a statement of objectives.
Guidelines for Developing Objectives
Express in terms of outcomes. The results emerging from a study have a direct relationship to expectations at the start. The statement of objectives should aim to describe precisely the kind of information needed at the end of the process. Rather than seeking generalities such as "a better understanding of consumer needs," the goal should be concrete, for example, "ideas for products that consumers would be willing to buy if they were available in the marketplace."
Focus on information. Be specific about the facts that will guide your decision making.
Prioritize. Clarity about what needs to be known as opposed to what would be nice to know is helpful in guiding the analysis process. If reports and memos have to be prepared in a hurry, a clear understanding of priorities will economize the expenditure of scarce time.
Use it to impact decisions. An ideal statement of objectives anticipates the expected use of the research in decision making. A consultant who knows how the analysis will be applied is better able to maintain focus and direction. For example, objectives should state if the research wants to discover alternative ways of describing a new dairy spread that will be further evaluated in a sample survey.
Cautions in Framing Objectives
In order to be prepared for contingencies, there are also some cautions to keep in mind while writing the statement of objectives.
Allow for surprises. Statements of objectives should not be framed so narrowly that the research misses unanticipated findings.
Avoid unwarranted assumptions. Don't under- or over-estimate the importance consumers attach to the brand or how involved they are in the decision process. Research investments are sometimes wasted when a segment believed to have a great deal of involvement in purchase decisions ends up being minimally involved. On the other hand, this may be an important finding which saves marketing investments down the road.
Be sure your objectives are appropriate to the brand's marketing requirements. Needless research investments are often made by managers who execute projects prematurely. For example, a positioning study commissioned before adequate competitive intelligence or market segmentation information is known can lead to spurious or incomplete results.
Make sure the objectives are appropriate to the study's scope. By necessity, qualitative research studies are limited in scope and application. Research managers and consultants should understand that global and comprehensive research objectives, such as 'understanding American health care patterns,' cannot be met by a few focus groups or depth interviews in a limited geographic range and covering a small sampling frame.
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