Research On Research Newsletter - 4/3/2003
I don't know if you happened to see an invitation from Peter Houlahan of Focus Vision. He will be moderating a panel at the upcoming ARF conference on remote moderating. I will be one of the panel members and wanted to invite you to attend.
Glenn and I will actually be making a presentation on InterFace(tm) our quantitative instrument for measuring emotional values, just before the Focus Vision session. So you could catch us both on Thursday morning. And of course come visit us at our booth on the second level to say, "Hi!" We would all love to meet people who have been reading the newsletter and sending us such nice comments.
Below are the details of the Focus Vision presentation and some tips from our experiences with remote moderating. Both Focus Vision and Executive Solutions have passes available for the presentations and Expo. Let us know if you would like us to send to you.
Dear Moderator:
On April 10, Peter Houlahan, President of FocusVision Worldwide, will be making a presentation at this year's ARF conference entitled:
Conducting Focus Groups Without Travel: How to keep your qualitative projects in the field during times of global uncertainty. This timely seminar will instruct market researchers on how to use videoconferencing, videostreaming, and remote moderating methods to conduct qualitative research without travel in times of increased corporate travel restrictions.
FocusVision has a limited number of invitation/passes to the conference expo and presentation. If you are interested in attending or would like to send a member of your team, please reply to this email.
Hope to see you there,
Peter Houlahan
President
FocusVision Worldwide, Inc.
Drs. Sharon and Glenn Livingston
Executive Solutions, Inc.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10
Interface™ - How To Quantify The Emotional Drivers of Purchase - learn how we use projective techniques to remove social desirability bias and get at motivation beyond the respondent's awareness. Quantitatively connect all aspects of brand activity to emotional drivers.
Conducting Focus Groups without Travel 11:15 - 11:45 AM. New York Hilton.
Here's a story about my first time using Remote Moderating and some tips that I hope you will find helpful.
The first time I interviewed a group over Focus Vision was out of necessity. At the last minute, my PA clients and I were snowed out of groups that were taking place in LA. No one was able to get to an airport let alone fly out. The planes were grounded for two days. Ach! What to do? The information from the groups was tied to a series of deadlines. No group? No commercial.
Thank goodness for Focus Vision. At the last minute they came to the rescue, setting us up on Long Island, LA and Philly on a moments notice. A Focus Vision trekked out in his SUV and we were off and running.
It was a little more awkward than in person interviewing at first, but I found the group's pace after a few minutes; they then followed my lead and video conferencing saved the day and the deadlines.
It was exciting to see how well the method worked. People were forthcoming with comments. They seemed equally responsive to the "talking head" moderator as they usually were to the moderator being right there in the room with them.
It was gratifying and relieving to receive feedback from the facility afterwards that consumers said they enjoyed it. In fact, more than a few thought it was actually a bit liberating.
They felt more comfortable sharing thoughts with the monitor than a person in the room.
The "distance" seemed to make it safer.
They weren't going to run into me after the panel.
They felt less visible and scrutinized than with a "teacher" in the room.
Moreover, it was so freeing to me. It made me realize that if I conducted groups remotely I would be able to:
- Go to work nearby,
- Meet with my clients leisurely,
- Drive instead of dealing with plane hassles and changes in schedules,
- Sleep in my own bed,
- Kiss my husband goodnight,
- Pet the dog, cuddle the kitty,
- Eat salad I made myself,
- Go to the gym,
- See and talk to my office real time instead of playing voice mail telephone tag, etc. etc.
- The tapes were all together in one location so there was less chance of losing them in shipping.
- I could sleep like a normal person so I felt fresh each day of the interviewing.
- I would have more energy and feel more upbeat about everything.
- This translated into being able to devote more quality time to work since I was traveling less and feeling refreshed.
- My thinking was clearer.
- The client received his both his topline and final report ahead of schedule.
So, yes, I'm a strong proponent of running qualitative research projects remotely. Since that first day a number of years ago we have run hundreds of groups and IDI's over the TV. It makes life better for the moderator and the clients.
AND, you can still get as "deep" as you need to. We have conducted virtually every type of projective exercise on very touch topics with excellent results.
Here are some of the things you'll need to do to ensure success:
A) LEARN THE SYSTEM: It is important to feel comfortable with the videoconferencing system, so take time to experiment and practice with it before your IDI or group starts. An experienced tech is an essential part of the setup and operation. Have tech person in the room with you to help things along, make adjustments, problem solve on the spot.
Opt for a Large Monitor for a good view of the group. When moderating groups, try to locate facilities that use big screen monitors for a better view of the participants. When using standard sized monitors ask the tech to use the picture in picture feature to periodically zoom in on individuals in the group so you can capture their expressions.
B) PREPARE THE PARTICIPANTS IN ADVANCE: Let respondents know this will be a Talking Head interview or group. Make it fun, an event, something different so they will be excited to take part. Prepare a template document for the facilities to give respondents to ensure that what you want them to say will be communicated.
C) EMPLOY INSTANT MESSAGING: This makes for easy communication with all observers as well as the remote facility personnel.
D) DRESS FOR BETTER VIDEOGRAPHY: Wear solid colored clothing rather than bold, complex patterns. Stripes or busy patterns will cause the camera's focus to oscillate and destroy picture clarity. Also, wear dark or neutral colors. Participants should be given similar dress code direction.
E) MOVE AND GESTURE SLOWLY AND SMOOTHLY: The compressed video system cannot transmit rapid movements without some loss of picture quality, so move in a fluid, non-distracting way. Move and gesture normally, but avoid swaying, rocking or pacing. If you like to walk around, go ahead, but make sure you know the parameters of the camera range. You can tape off your spot so you know exactly how far you can go.
F) MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE ON-CAMERA POSITIONING: Position yourself on-camera according to the elbows and wrists rule: when you stretch out your arms, the edge of the screen falls between your elbows and wrists. Use close-ups shots judiciously. It is important that participants see your facial expressions, but remember that the camera is very sensitive to movement and will exaggerate blinking eyes, moving hands, or shifting in chairs. Make sure the camera's line of sight is not obstructed.
G) SPEAK IN A STRONG, CLEAR VOICE: Take advantage of the system to communicate naturally, using tone inflection and body language. You'll notice a small time delay for audio transmission, so continue your full thought once you begin speaking and avoid interrupting another speaker.
H) DEMONSTRATE GREATER INTEREST AND PATIENCE: Two-way compressed video systems usually exhibit an audio delay, so double your usual wait time after asking a question or soliciting comments. Also, make it easier for observers to process responses by repeating every question or comment a respondent makes, ensuring that the other sites can hear.
I) MAINTAIN ENTHUSIASM: Videoconferencing participants will find it difficult to pay attention if the subject is presented in a dead pan delivery. It's particularly important for the moderator to appear animated and lively. Use intriguing exercises when appropriate to engage the respondent(s).
J) SEND MATERIALS IN ADVANCE: Make sure to send all props and materials to the facilities to arrive at least a day ahead of time, clearly marked for your research. It's probably a good idea to make all copies for handouts in advance. Not all facilities have the reproduction capabilities you need at the last minute. Even when they do, there's always a chance that the copier is down.
K) EMPLOY AN IN-ROOM ONSITE HELPER: If you will be handing out materials or showing boards or video tapes, you'll need an in room assistant. Make an appointment to talk with this person and train them ahead of time, to insure that (s)he knows how to support you. When working with kids and teens, it's a good idea to have an assistant in the room even though they may not need to distribute papers. Their presence can help keep order just by virtue of being there if and when the little ones patience starts to stray. This person can also be connected to you via an in-room computer so you and (s)he can Instant Message back and forth.
Remote moderating makes qualitative research more efficient in so many ways. And, as a bonus, it's fun for any of the would be stars in our midst who have ever wanted to be on TV.
Hope to see you at ARF!
Warm regards,
Sharon =)
HOW TO SELL YOUR MARKETING RESEARCH SERVICES - A SPECIAL ONE DAY WORKSHOP ON APRIL 12TH IN NEW YORK
Telephone 603-537-0775 and ask for me personally
(Note - this workshop is limited to 10 people ONLY)
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
I'd like you all to check out our new Emotional Space(tm) moderator board game for use in qualitative interviews and focus groups.
EMOTIONAL SPACE(TM) PROJECTIVE BOARD GAME FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCHERS - CLICK HERE
(25% discount for the first 50 orders ONLY, PLUS a 50% discount on the projective techniques teleseminar audio-tape package if ordered at the same time)
Emotional Space(tm) is a powerful new projective board game for qualitative researchers. Learn respondents' innermost thoughts and feelings about the products and services you are testing ... while protecting their self esteem and making the interview truly fun with this intriguing new game. Here's how it works:
1) Respondents are protected from social desirability bias and encouraged to 'project' their thoughts and feelings onto a special set of facial pictures, using our special set of emotional benefits which span the human continuum. (For more information on the utility of these benefits, please see here)
2) Then, using the special Emotional Space game board ( see picture ), levels of importance and similarity to the respondent are obtained, all the while maintaining a fun, gamelike atmosphere.
3) Once the respondent has profiled the 'Emotional Space', it is a simple matter (using colored markers) to place product features, concepts, names, reactions to advertisements (all the things we qualitative researchers are accustomed to testing) on the appropriate slot of the Emotional Space grid. Having everything is laid out in front of them, respondents are MUCH freer to discuss their most motivating, deeply held emotional values inasmuch as they relate to the category being assessed.
4) Even more interesting is examining discrepancies between what the respondent SAID was important to them when you asked them directly, and what they say after placing these features on the emotional grid. (Can reduce the discrepancy between reported and actual market behavior).
You can learn more about the game and/or reserve your copy at: store.yahoo.com/esistore-store/emspacqualbo.html
(25% discount for the first 50 orders ONLY, PLUS a 50% discount on the projective techniques teleseminar audio-tape package if ordered at the same time)
READ BACK ISSUES OF OUR RESEARCH ON RESEARCH NEWSLETTER
HOW TO SELL YOUR MARKETING RESEARCH SERVICES - A SPECIAL ONE DAY WORKSHOP ON APRIL 12TH IN NEW YORK
Telephone 603-537-0775 and ask for me personally
(Limited to 10 people ONLY!)
DOWNLOADABLE TELECONFERENCE ON PROJECTIVE TECHNIQUES:
(Listen When It Is Convenient For You)
Last, our downloadable teleconference on projective techniques is still available at our introductory pricing. It includes the complete 87 minute teleconference, copies of all of the slides, along with a full transcript all packaged in a downloadable MS-Word file you can listen to immediately after purchase. (We'll also ship you a set of audio tapes for convenience)
OUR FULL LIST OF TRAINING TAPES AND CD-ROMS - CLICK HERE
EMOTIONAL SPACE(TM) PROJECTIVE BOARD GAME FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCHERS
(25% discount for the first 50 orders ONLY, PLUS a 50% discount on the projective techniques teleseminar audio-tape package if ordered at the same time)
HOW TO SELL YOUR MARKETING RESEARCH SERVICES - A SPECIAL ONE DAY WORKSHOP ON APRIL 12TH IN NEW YORK
Telephone 603-537-0775 and ask for me personally
(Note - this workshop is limited to 10 people ONLY)
PLEASE COME TO OUR PRESENTATIONS AT ARF:
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2003
Interface™ - How To Quantify The Emotional Drivers of Purchase - learn how we use projective techniques to remove social desirability bias and get at motivation beyond the respondent's awareness. Quantitatively connect all aspects of brand activity to emotional drivers. 10:30 am.
Conducting Focus Groups without Travel 11:15 - 11:45 AM.