Case Study: No More Struggling to Connect Quantitative With Online Qualitative Research
A longtime user of our facilities and recruitment services, Pat Snyder of What They Think Research turned to 20|20 Research four years ago for software solutions to her online qualitative research needs. When Snyder approached us recently about a client’s pressing need for a low-cost, fast-turnaround quantitative-qualitative hybrid study, she was introduced to QualLink, a patent-pending system that allows seamless integration of quantitative surveys and qualitative bulletin boards.
The Challenge
When Snyder’s client, a seed company that sells to gardeners in Canada, called to say they needed her help in a hurry, she wasn’t fazed. In fact, she was no stranger to clients who needed results quickly, and she was certain her decade-long partnership with 20|20 Research would ensure there would be no holdups on the execution of the study. But as the client rattled off a wish list of customer information, it became clear that they didn’t just need a qualitative or quantitative study–they needed both.
“They wanted some basic behavioral information, like how much the subjects spent on seeds and how long in advance to planting they made their seed purchases, but they also wanted to dig deeper to find out about shopping habits and what motivated them to purchase one package of seeds over another,” Snyder says.
Time was already one barrier; another was the company’s budget: “They were not used to doing research, so they had a very small budget,” she explains.
To meet the client’s needs, Snyder developed an online quantitative survey and planned to use 20|20 Research’s online bulletin board QualBoard to collect the qualitative data. “The participants would be spread out all over Canada, so an in-person focus group was out of the question,” she says.
To further curb costs and save time, she would recruit for the online focus group using the list of quantitative participants. “I initially went to 20|20 with that question–’How long will it take to recruit from this list of participants?’ ” she explains. Instead of receiving the answer she was expecting–”A week, maybe two”–Snyder got a better response: Her bulletin board discussion could begin as soon as the survey closed.
How QualLink Works
By using QualLink, Snyder could divert a subset of her quantitative survey participants directly into an in-depth QualBoard discussion. In other words, she didn’t have to spend the time or money on re-recruitment.
Participants are auto-enrolled based on qualifying responses, so the bulletin board discussion could begin immediately. For Snyder’s study, survey participants who responded about having a specific percentage of their garden planted in seed were invited to participate in the in-depth QualBoard. They could start right then or come back when they were ready over the next few days.
Once the participants opt in, QualLink pushes demographic data, key survey responses or any other panelist information directly into the QualBoard participant profiles, allowing the data collected in the survey to be used in the qualitative research for targeted probing, segmenting and/or analysis.
The technology works with most survey software platforms, including QuestionPro, SurveyGizmo, Checkbox Survey Solutions, WorldApp Key Survey, Vovict, Confirmit and SurveyWriter, so there was no need for Snyder to learn a new tool.
Fast, In-Depth Results
Within 10 minutes of the survey going live, eight participants had already qualified for the QualBoard. Of the 101 survey participants who qualified, 54 percent opted-in. She accepted 40 for the six-day QualBoard, and the rest were placed on standby.
“The whole process of completing both the quantitative and qualitative took two weeks,” she says. “Previously, you’d be looking at about two months. Needless to say, the client was thrilled.”
And not just because of the fast turnaround. Snyder’s client was also impressed by the quality of the QualBoard. “Everyone was so detailed in their responses,” says Snyder, who prompted some participants for photos of their gardens. “It exceeded my client’s expectations in every regard.”
Snyder says the quality of the QualBoard also impressed her. “I have never seen the in-depth answers like on this board.” She gives some credit to the subject area: “Gardeners are passionate about what they do, so that certainly comes through in their responses.” But she also believes QualLink had something to do with it. “Because it was so seamless, they went right into qualifying,” she says. “By then, they were already in the mindset, and it was probably exciting for them to give more than a yes or no answer. With the QualBoard, they were really able to express their views.”
Snyder did have one reservation with QualLink–how could she control the quality of the participants if they auto-enroll? That’s where the qualifying criteria come in. For Snyder’s study, she was confident that gardeners who planted a certain percentage in seed would be articulate enough to participate in the QualBoard. “We were very thoughtful about picking that particular question,” she says. Open-ended questions also can be used as screening criteria. For further control, enrollment in the QualBoard can be delayed, allowing researchers time to pre-screen participants.
Snyder says she’s already recommending QualLink to other clients. “It’s really a powerful technology,” she says. “It saves my clients time and money, and it helps me meet deadlines that I never could have met before. I now have a new service to offer clients–one that shows I’m on the forefront of research.”
For more information about QualLink, attend one of our free training sessions, or contact one of our Technology Product Specialists so we can arrange a QualLink demo.
