At Accelerant Research, we are all-in on leveraging webcam-based interviewing for online qualitative research studies.  We’ve been producing faster, more cost effective, and higher quality insights for our clients for years using methodologies such as:

• Show and Tell Ethnographies
• Unboxing IDIs
• Augmented Reality Interviews

But, there’s one qualitative interview method that simply does not translate well to a webcam-based format…focus groups, or as we like to refer to them, Brady Bunch Interviews.

For one-on-one interviews, and even dyads/triads, webcams can be fantastic, but the more participants you layer into a group discussion, the more disjointed the conversation can become.  When sitting in the same room, moderators are adept at keeping the nonspeaking members of the group on focus, but when all parties are remote, it becomes incredibly difficult to manage outside distractions, work around technical glitches, and keep participants from ‘multi-tasking.’ A great real-world analogy is watching cable news broadcasts.  The more pundits that are added to a split-screen panel, the more maddening the conversation becomes.  In many cases, the intent of news networks is to have as many people as possible shouting over one another at the same time, but that is hardly ideal for a research setting.

When designing a qualitative research study, we recommend asking a fundamental question upfront…To Group or Not to Group?  That is, do you have compelling reasons -- such as the inclusion of laddering or other group-based creative exercises -- for conducting your research in a group format?  If so, then traditional in-person focus groups would be the recommended approach.  If not, then fight the urge to conduct group interviews, and instead focus your attention on one-on-one webcam interviews, where each individual’s ‘story' can be provided without the influence of others.

If in-person focus groups are not an option, and webcam group discussions are a must-have, then the smaller the better.  Consider dyads (two participants) or triads (three participants), and proceed with great caution beyond that.

We invite you to reach out to the team at Accelerant Research to help with your next online (or even in-person) qualitative research study.  Simply give us a call (704-206-8500) or send us an email (info@accelerantresearch.com).  With our support and guidance in participant recruiting, technology/logistics/platform management, and even moderating/full-service support, we can help you deliver successful and impactful qualitative insights.

As applications for augmented reality (AR) become more widespread, the market research industry has a huge opportunity to leverage these technologies for better, faster, more actionable insights.  In this video, Accelerant Research shares how we’re putting some of these applications to use in our own qualitative research studies.

Incentives paid to participants for qualitative research can be quite generous. Of course, that is what is intended in paying people for their time. Incentives help facilitate the recruiting process as its
attractiveness in amounts motivates participants to:

• Show up at the right place at the right time
• Provide their opinions to the people that are paying for the research who really need their help
• Be articulate, creative, focused, open and honest
• Cooperate in a manner that makes for a positive experience for everyone involved

But incentives can be a double-edged sword.  While they may be the impetus to participate in qualitative research, some people may try to do anything they can to qualify for studies so that they can reap the benefits of the incentive provided.

Of course, participants must be screened and qualified in order to be invited to a study. Sometimes, the potential participant will try to psych out the recruiter by trying to answer screening questions in a manner that gets them qualified, regardless of whether their answers are truthful. In essence, they will lie, cheat, and do whatever it takes to “get the study.”

Therefore, in order to ensure quality participants, the recruiter must be on his or her game at all times. You see, the recruiter is the last line of defense on behalf of the client (moderator) who has hired them to compile a list of qualified participants. Imagine if the recruiter simply went through the motions in the job of recruiting, paying no mind to the possibility that candidates may be lying.  The participant recruited under false pretenses will probably not have a clue about the subject matter and, having faked their way into the study, really has nothing to offer the moderator or his/her client in terms of opinions from which insights are culled.

At Accelerant Research, our team of recruiters are well trained to be sensitive to these conditions of lying and faking, and require all potential participants to provide anecdotes and even artifacts (photos, etc.) to validate their usage of or experience with the study topic. We pay close attention to their “stories” and probe them to clarify or expand their answers. In the end, we provide quality recruits that are both qualified and articulate.

We invite you to request a cost estimate from us as a first step. Simply give us a call (704-206-8500) or send us an email (info@accelerantresearch.com). If we are granted the opportunity to work with you, we are confident that the quality of recruiting service you receive will be a marked improvement.

Good luck and safe travels.