We are increasingly aware of the need for total quality management approaches in the more process-oriented aspects of market research such as data collection and tabulation. However, the way in which we communicate study findings to clients and the general public is perhaps the most critical part of what we do. Over the last few years there have been significant advances in computer graphics which have given the researcher enormous powers of data presentation and the audiences greater expectations in a world that is moving away from the written word and numbers to graphic and symbolic representations of information. This paper maintains that researchers may not yet be exploiting the new media to its fullest by observing some of the fundamentals of design that are most important to clearly conveying findings. Inspired by the great variance in presentation styles and quality, a market researcher and a graphics designer examine the environment for graphics communication in market research. The paper covers the basic theories and practice of visual graphics; the tools available for the production of quality communications; the uses and abuses of graphics as they apply to the researcher and the future role that graphics can play in the research industry. It concludes that while there are no rules for good or bad graphics both can be recognized, but only the good is ultimately remembered. Researchers must appreciate the growing need to develop their ultimate end product for marketers and not for other researchers. By integrating quality graphic communications into the TQM process the industry will improve its ability to communicate and therefore the perceived value of research.
We are increasingly aware of the need for total quality management approaches in the more process-oriented aspects of market research such as data collection and tabulation. However, the way in which we communicate study findings to clients and the general public is perhaps the most critical part of what we do. Over the last few years there have been significant advances in computer graphics which have given the researcher enormous powers of data presentation and the audiences greater expectations in a world that is moving away from the written word and numbers to graphic and symbolic representations of information. This paper maintains that researchers may not yet be exploiting the new media to its fullest by observing some of the fundamentals of design that are most important to clearly conveying findings. Inspired by the great variance in presentation styles and quality, a market researcher and a graphics designer examine the environment for graphics communication in market research. The paper covers the basic theories and practice of visual graphics; the tools available for the production of quality communications; the uses and abuses of graphics as they apply to the researcher and the future role that graphics can play in the research industry. It concludes that while there are no rules for good or bad graphics both can be recognized, but only the good is ultimately remembered. Researchers must appreciate the growing need to develop their ultimate end product for marketers and not for other researchers. By integrating quality graphic communications into the TQM process the industry will improve its ability to communicate and therefore the perceived value of research.
In Market Research, data which is multivariate in nature is often generated. For example, in a Brand Association study the associations of brands with a variety of attributes are measured and in a Usage and Attitudes survey information regarding the products used in different market segments is gained. In order to see the messages in the data clearly and to communicate them to others with maximum impact, it is desirable to display them in a visual form, e.g. by using graphs. However, the commonly-used graphical displays are univariate in nature, i.e. they deal with the dimensions one at a time. This means that some of the information is lost, and also many different graphs may be needed where there are a large number of dimensions. Multivariate mapping techniques to overcome this problem have been available for some years. However, they do not appear to be widely utilised in Market Research, partly because of non-accessibility (suitable computer software may not be immediately available and easy to use) and partly because of lack of confidence on the part of potential users. People may not be confident in using the techniques, and may also fear that the output will not be understood by their target ("non-specialist") audience. This paper shows the authors' experience with two techniques : Correspondence Analysis and Covariance Biplot (Principal Components Plot). The exposition is completely non-mathematical and shows our use of the techniques in some practical examples. In particular we describe some of the enhancements which we have found useful in communication to non- specialist audiences. The aim of the paper is to stimulate discussion with other market researchers, and hopefully to increase the appropriate use of these methods in the industry as a whole. It would also be useful if more user- friendly software might become available as a result of increased interest and use.
The market researchers must be part-time communicators, to fully convey the message contained in each of the studies they have designed, supervised, or bought. Regardless of the quality and depth of the collected data, whatever had been the attention to all details, it will always be a waste of time and money, if, in the end, the substantifique model is not grasped by the marketing decision-makers. Sometimes, this communicating task is particularly tough, because the data is complex. International research projects tend to yield difficult-to-present results: - either because the sheer accumulation of originally simple elements produce an undigestible quantity of repetitive materials (e.g. awareness / trial / usage / buying intent scores recorded for the major brands of 3 sectors of the same market, in 5 countries...), - or because the approach used cannot be simplified without loosing its accuracy (e.g. a cluster analysis done with an International comparison in view...). This paper shows, with two real case-examples of the above types, that there are solutions, to be found in carefully designed graphs. Most of the graphic tools shown below use circles, hence the title. Part one present the 'Brand Penetration Meter', a new and better way of synthesising lots of standard brand scores. Part two illustrates how the headache of explaining how cluster-groups are defined, can be helped with effective graphs.
Properly communicating research data to the decision-makers is a must for Marketing Researchers. As presentations are normally short & one-shot events, this is a risky challenge. Graphic visualisation of data can be the solution, if well done. Not any graphs will do the job. But good ones will, as readibility at a glance is the way to recognize them.
The aim of this presentation is to discuss the ways in which we have developed our software to meet the needs of the market researcher and to take advantage of the latest technology. My company, Market Research Software, has developed a range of software, which is centred around the researcher's most common form of information - the cross tabulation. Our software is designed to handle all aspects of survey processing from questionnaire design and data input through to tabulations and export of data to other specialist packages, such as graphics and spreadsheet programs. The area I will be covering in most detail in my presentation will be the area of secondary analysis on surveys. Market researchers and data users are now demanding data access on many surveys. The rationale seems to be : the data is available, the software is available and the hardware is reasonably priced - so why not? In recent history researchers have only gained access to their data on large scale surveys, usually linking up to a minicomputer. This has been inconvenient, often expensive and invariably rather slow. The arrival of a PC in almost every office has meant that a researcher can gain access to their data on small, as well as large scale surveys and, of course, it is very convenient.
This paper describes the evolution of industrial and consumer new product opportunities through the utilization of graphic probe stimuli which helped respondents recall and articulate unmet needs. The findings are based on an actual case history, a project conducted in the United States from September, 1989 through April, 1990. The major difficulty confronting the researcher was how to evaluate the market potential for a new technology that had had no previous exposure, and for which potential end-users had no perceptions of applications or benefits - in fact, no understanding of the new technology, or of its potential for fulfilling their needs. By using projective techniques, researchers were able to move beyond respondents' opinions of concepts presented, and discuss their attitudes about unmet needs. Findings presented below support the major argument that industrial new product opportunities can be identified by the projective research techniques utilized. The project generated 49 acceptable new product applications (not previously considered by the sponsor), all evolved through the process, and all with varying degrees of market potential. Methodology included creation of "concept boards", graphic stimuli used to probe respondents' attitudes about their unmet needs. After conducting in-depth interviews, the concept boards were modified, deleted, or new ones added, which better represented new needs as they were discovered. Therefore, special attention was devoted to the issue of probing beyond respondents' immediate reactions (opinions) to the boards, rather, having them express their attitudes about professional problems they were experiencing, that a new, or "similar", technology might solve.
Generally speaking, the findings of market-research projects are compiled as tables or are presented verbally in the form of charts. However, this type of report is not always appropriate for certain occupational categories such as designers for example, who rely mainly on visual perception when creating three-dimensional products or situations. This paper describes effective ways of achieving a more graphically orientated presentation of results, against the background of a completed research project. A dear conception of the research process is particularly important for the employment of video technology. The question of how to structure the report around the various types of media used is also discussed.
Generally speaking, the findings of market-research projects are compiled as tables or are presented verbally in the form of charts. However, this type of report is not always appropriate for certain occupational categories such as designers for example, who rely mainly on visual perception when creating three-dimensional products or situations. This paper describes effective ways of achieving a more graphically orientated presentation of results, against the background of a completed research project. A dear conception of the research process is particularly important for the employment of video technology. The question of how to structure the report around the various types of media used is also discussed.
The paper is a case history about research in the European market for contacting and duplicating film, which is widely used in the graphic arts industry (i.e. among commercial printers, reprographic specialists, typesetters and platemakers). Having dispelled doubts about whether the market was worth researching at all, a large-scale survey was commissioned, with the specific purpose of detailed market sizing, assessment of user behaviour and attitudes and evaluation of the likely effects of new technology. A pilot stage involving both quantitative and qualitative techniques was used to check on data collection methods and identify the more subjective, as opposed to technical, criteria influencing users' behaviour. Main stage fieldwork consisted of 1,7 face-to-face interviews across eight European countries. The practical difficulties of sample design, sample sources, data collection and grossing up are discussed. The paper concludes by discussing the wide range of marketing information that such a comprehensive survey provides, the actual marketing decisions that were based on it, and the marketing results that followed.