By Victoria Parr, Managing Director, Latitude Insights Sydney office 

At the last AMSRS conference I presented a paper on the research to develop the design of plain packaging for tobacco products (yes, that colour…… Pantone 448C). During the questions that followed, an audience member highlighted that even though the emphasis of the conference had been on new methodologies and digital data collection, most of the papers dealing with significant social or community impact had used very traditional methods, including mine.  He was questioning the tension between the ‘new’ methodologies and the need for delivery of robust and evidence based research that is required for government research.

This is an issue that I believe many in the audience of that last conference were grappling with, especially those of us that work within the social and government sphere. Our government clients are similar to commercial clients in that they too need to do everything cheaper and faster. They are also aware of that ‘new fangled’ thing called the internet, and they know that  people now have 100′s of friends and followers whose profile pictures they see on a daily basis, and who they converse with in 140 characters or less.

How our government clients differ is that the research they do is funded by all Australian taxpayers, so all of us in the community who are relevant to the problem need to be represented in the research. It is a critical part of the democratic model of government that all have chance to express their views and opinions on matters that affect them,  and that means the research we do must be representative of the population in question.

And here lies the crux of the issue.

As I said at the conference, government needs to be accountable and need to  ensure reliability of rigorous and robust research methods to achieve this. But at the same time, the world is changing and we all know that the way people are communicating is now different. We type to communicate almost as much, if not more, than we verbalise our thoughts. As AMSRS committee member Victoria Gamble gamely said when called out to take the roving microphone at the conference ‘I don’t like to speak in front of so many people, that’s why I use twitter’.

So my question is, if we don’t start to talk to people using the same way they communicate with each other, are we in fact losing some of the rigour of the research? Not only do we miss representation of the people who will not elect to do face-to-face qual, are we also not missing a vital part of capturing their views and opinions by not communicating with them in the way they are accustomed to?

Fishkin[1] wrote about deliberative democracy and public consultation under the title ‘When the People Speak’. My question is about recognizing that how people are speaking is now, in fact, different and we in the social and government side of research need to explore this issue more, both clients and suppliers alike. All methodologies, both the tried and tested and the ‘new’ have their faults. What we really need to consider as we look at each new project or problem is what method is going to really give a voice to those whose views and opinions we are trying to represent?

by Anna Clowry, Research Director at Latitude Insights

We often talk about the benefits of depth and breadth achieved by online research. From online surveys, to panels and communities, it’s about helping us get closer to people that other methods might miss.

From farmers in remote cattle stations, to housewives from the Gold Coast, online communities have brought people together in virtual spaces to help companies and organisations understand the bigger picture. Now anyone with an internet connection can have a say, not just those who can come and meet us face to face.

As well as who we reach, we sometimes overlook the impact of how powerful the anonymity of an online community can be. A recent project we conducted with Australians with a range of Anxiety Disorders really brought this point home.

Most of the online community members would have found it impossible or challenging to attend a focus group with a group of strangers, in an unfamiliar environment.

But more importantly, if they had, the level of intense personal detail shared would have been nothing compared to what was shared online.

We were privileged to shape and guide conversations covering extremely sensitive and challenging topics, and were thrilled when our community members fed back to us on the positive experience of sharing their thoughts, with both us and with the other community members.

The combination of a safe and anonymous discussion space, connecting with others with similar experience, and the freedom to share when and where it suited them, in as much or little detail as they liked, made the online community an ideal approach.

So, for marketers and other clients who need to understand topics that are sensitive in nature, from health care, social issues, taboo topics etc, we fully support harnessing the power of an online community.

The press has stopped for Encyclopaedia Britannica as it paves its future in digital. Following the footsteps of Wikipedia, the Britannica will now only offer online compilations of its publication.

How is it that Wikipedia (which relies on the collaboration of hundreds of authors working for free, nothing, zilch) is able to topple a 244-year-old publication like Britannica?

At last year’s AMSRS National Conference, using Wikipedia as an example, I spoke about the intrinsic reward that people get from online communities. Intrinsic rewards are non-monetary rewards – such as feelings of belonging or working towards a greater cause.

These same intrinsic rewards can be nurtured in Insights Communities. Wikipedia is evidence that by letting go of control and allowing members to ‘own’ their online environments, we are able to bring people together in collaboration. In your Insights Community, if you can create these feelings of self worth, acceptance and contributing to something bigger, you’ll find less need for extrinsic, monetary based incentives.

The holy grail of marketing is delivering the right message, to the right people at the right time. Without relevance marketing initiatives go to waste.

Market research, at its best, talks with consumers about things that are going on in their lives at that point in time. This is advantageous for two reasons. Firstly, for example, exploring consumer confidence the week an interest rate cut is announced leads to more accurate feedback, rather than rely solely on participant recall. Secondly, talking about topical issues or events actually increases engagement level with the research.

Insights communities are ideal for keeping research relevant to participants. The longitudinal nature of communities means that foreseeable events (e.g. Christmas) can be planned for. Furthermore, the flexible nature of communities allows researchers to respond to unexpected, topical issues that arise (think the announcement of the carbon tax).

When planning an online community, think about the timing of your topics, and how to maximise their relevance.

Badges are becoming commonplace on social media platforms. To enhance levels of engagement, badges ‘gamify’ actions and reward users. This ‘gamification’ of experience in turn, motivates further action. But how are badges useful? Why do they work?

In an initial study, Antin & Churchill (2011) set out to answer these questions. I have briefly summarised their findings below.

Goal Setting
Challenges are an effective motivator and consuming goals is an end unto itself. Studies have shown the most effective goals are those just out of comfortable reach.

Instruction
Providing a framework for users, badges illustrate valued activities of the community.

Reputation
Badges contribute to the identity of users. They allow others to make ‘reputation assessments’ such as a particular member’s interests or expertise.

Status/Affirmation
Acting as status symbols, badges highlight achievement, acknowledging user accomplishments.

Group Identification
Shared experiences increase collaboration in online communities. Badges connect users to these shared actions, and provide ‘perceptions of similarity between an individual and the group’

In short, badges act as social agents in online communities, assisting users to navigate their virtual identity and relationships. Transferring these agents into research communities may help provide another layer of user engagement.

Copy of my presentation from Merlien conference in Berlin, MobileMR 2010: Market Research in the Mobile World

It’s almost been a year since I started working with insights communities and I have learnt that they are filled with constant surprises. If you had asked me last September, what I expected from a role of an insights community moderator, I would have summed up, “To facilitate focus groups…online”. So a year later, what do I have to add?

Today I would say that a community moderator is more than just a facilitator. We spend months with participants in a community – I’ve even had a member describe the community as his “second family”. This is not unexpected; given that everyday we are invited into the lives of members. We travel their paths through pregnancies, holidays, graduations, and even funerals. The role of moderator is stretched to confidante, advisor, watchdog, IT tech, storyteller, leader, pupil, events organiser, cheerleader, and friend.

So, walking the thin line between the professional and personal, how does this tie in with our research? How do we remain objective, whilst we are subjective to the trials and tribulations of our members? I believe we don’t. Through the lens of familiarity, we grasp a deeper understanding of where members are coming from. Communities provide an environment to harness relationships, and this is a unique opportunity for qualitative research.

In the last year I have learnt how to be a better moderator by getting to know members. I have learnt how to be a better researcher by analysing data within a broader context. I look forward to the next 365 days of communities, and welcome whatever twists and turns they may bring…

Part of what I love about working with the team at Latitude is the opportunity to laugh each and every day.

Throughout the week, our community moderators post blogs to their members to touch base, say hello, give them an update and (hopefully) make them smile.

With our unique approach to community engagement, moderators are encouraged to inject a healthy dose of their own personality into communications with their members, with often humorous results. Throwing in a few tidbits of novelty information, or a joke or two allows us all to reveal a little about what interests us, makes us tick, or cracks us up, which in turn encourages members to do the same.

Here’s a couple of snippets from some recent moderator blogs…

One moderator shares her weekend of indulgence with her community…

To celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day…

While this sort of dialogue may not be a source for powerful insights for our clients, what it does facilitate is a fun, friendly atmosphere in which our members can express themselves openly, engage with us as moderators and bond with each other as members.

Because after all, who doesn’t love to laugh every now and again!