Market research glossary

Our academic and education research experience includes research on the use of technology to continue teaching pupils during Covid lockdowns, remote user testing on a university application system and qualitative research with students studying abroad and their parents. We have also carried out a large number of projects for academics in various universities who need to collect primary data as part of their research.

Also known as a Market research panel or an Online panel. A  panel made up of people who have either applied or been invited to become panel members. Panel members are then invited to take part in research projects that are aligned to their profile and registered interests. Respondents are often incentivised with a monetary gift. Panels can be consumer or business-oriented. If you would like to join FieldworkHub’s panel, please visit: https://myfieldworkhub.com/

Thanks to online platforms, market research is becoming more accessible to those who may have been excluded in the past. Those who suffer from mobility issues or struggle to pay the upfront cost of travelling to a larger city to take part in face-to-face research can now partake in online surveys, focus groups, online bulletin boards and more through digital platforms. This widens the pool of insights businesses are able to gather and allows for less represented voices to be heard.

Observing and interviewing a respondent as they participate in a shopping activity.

Observing and interviewing  a respondent as they interact with a website or app. The respondent may follow their instincts or be aided by instructions from an interviewer. Accompanied surfs can occur remotely or in usability testing suites that can collect additional information such as eye tracking or facial expression monitoring.

Also known as an Ad lab. Used as a qualitative and quantitative method, ad concept testing involves the trialling of ad concepts with individual respondents or groups of respondents. These tests observe the relevance, understanding, impact and appeal of the product or service being advertised. A relatively new development in ad concept testing involves measuring the respondents’ neural responses to the ads by asking them to wear a skull cap with sensors attached during the tests (see Neuromarketing research).

This refers to studies which are carried out at a particular point in time as opposed to ongoing or longitudinal research. Most qualitative market research is ad hoc in that it is used to answer questions that are important at the time but do not need to be followed up in the future.

A metric that aims to measure what percentage of an audience remember seeing or hearing certain elements of an advertisement after it has been shown. It is used to gain insights on how effective an advertising campaign is at leaving a lasting impression.

A process where various elements of advertising campaigns, such as the visuals, copy or design, are evaluated for their effectiveness to be sure they are reaching their target audience.

The process of collecting data on interactions participants have made with online advertisements. Tools such as cookies, UTM parameters ((Urchin Tracking Module parameters) and tracking pixels are used to measure ad campaign success.

Research to measure how well an advertising campaign achieves its goals, such as brand awareness, engagement, conversions, or sales. It is typically evaluated through metrics like reach, recall, and ROI.

A qualitative analysis technique where researchers group related ideas, themes, or insights into clusters to identify patterns. It is often used in user research, design thinking, and brainstorming sessions.

A research approach emphasising speed, flexibility, and iterative processes. It often leverages digital tools for rapid data collection and analysis. This allows businesses to quickly adapt their strategies based on real-time insights.

AI-Moderation is gaining traction in the market research world. It is a technique making use of artificial intelligence to conduct real-time interviews autonomously and interact with participants like a human moderator would.

A recent development in Sentiment Analysis that uses AI to analyse social media trends, customer reviews, and digital conversations to predict future consumer sentiment and brand perception.

Analysis in market research terms means systematically gathering and interpreting data to discover patterns and trends about a target audience, topic, or industry. These quantitative or qualitative insights can then be used by businesses to make informed decisions on future strategy and mitigate risks.

Stimulus material where key frames for a television, online video or cinema advertisement are computer generated or drawn and shown in research accompanied by a soundtrack to gauge respondents’ reactions before engaging in full production of the ad.

Applied research is an organised way of finding solutions to existing real-world problems. It builds upon existing theories and is used across medicine, social sciences, and business to produce actionable insights.

AQR is an acronym of the Association for Qualitative Research. It is a non-profit organisation with the aim of building a community hub for researchers working within qualitative research and promoting professional standards within the qualitative market research industry. FieldworkHub has individual membership of the AQR.

An articulation question is a method often used within a recruitment screener to establish if a potential participant is able to answer clearly and concisely about a particular topic. Those who follow the instructions given during an articulation question to a high standard are more likely to be chosen to take part in the research project.

Asynchronous research is an approach which involves participants completing tasks individually and in their own time, rather than during a scheduled session or interview. Methodologies using this practice include Online bulletin boards, Market research online communities and Mobile market research. The benefits of using asynchronous research methodologies include more time for thoughtful and in-the-moment feedback, accommodation of different time zones and schedules, and deeper insights that are tracked over a longer period of time.

Also known as In-home user testing (IHUT). At-home testing is a research method allowing participants to take a product home with them for testing. Direct-to-consumer (or DTC) self-tests of established products are rapidly gaining popularity in the healthcare sector, and there are significant advantages to using them during the trial stages of a new product or packaging. Participants in the research can be observed using the product in their natural environment, for example, using a new type of kitchen gadget in their own kitchen. The type of insights gathered at home are unreplicatable in a facility setting.

Automotive market research can involve both consumer and B2B research relating to the vehicle and automotive sectors. It covers a range of topics, including customers of car dealerships and petrol stations to B2B research with car manufacturers and policy makers. FieldworkHub has extensive research in all areas of automotive market research, and has supported research on used car buying habits, public charging of electric vehicles and pain points with motor insurance claims.

B2B market research companies are research agencies that help organisations to understand the needs, buying behaviours and preferences of other businesses, as opposed to consumers. They provide data-driven insights that inform product development, go-to-market strategies, pricing and promotional activities. FieldworkHub works as a B2B market research company for many of its clients.

Back-checking is utilised in market research as part of the quality control process. The standard approach is to re-contact a small selection of participants to verify their original responses and identify any errors made during the data collection or transcription process.

In market research, the term balanced scale refers to a Rating scale used in questionnaires that includes an equal number of positive and negative responses with a neutral midpoint. This structure is beneficial as it offers an unbiased amount of potential responses, leading to more reliable data.

A bar chart uses rectangular bars to display different categories of data in a digestible format. Different lengths of bar (and sometimes different colours) represent different sets of comparable data. An example: a question could ask what a participant’s favourite product feature was, with bars representing the number of times each product feature was picked.

Behaviour modification involves intervention to change a person’s behaviour or reaction over time. The use of positive reinforcements and negative reinforcements can be used in market research to condition a participant to react a particular way to specific stimuli.

A field that explores how psychological, social, and cognitive factors influence economic decision-making. It is widely used in market research to understand why consumers make purchasing decisions that differ from those predicted by the traditional assumption that individuals act in a way that is purely rational and motivated by self-interest.

A survey question type which offers an alternative to Rating scale questions. Rather than asking respondents to rate attributes on a standard scale (e.g. from 0 to 5 where 0 means not at all important and 5 means very important), respondents are shown all of the attributes at once and asked to identify just the most important and the least important. This is designed to overcome personal and cultural differences in responding to rating scales and also any tendency for respondents to say that most attributes are fairly important.

BHBIA is an acronym that stands for The British Healthcare Business Intelligence Association. It is a UK-based association promoting professional standards in companies that deliver healthcare market research to clients. The BHBIA offers training programmes, events, and resources to its members and provides a comprehensive Legal and Ethical Guideline within which they work. FieldworkHub has individual membership of the BHBIA.

The meaning of bias varies somewhat between qualitative and quantitative research. In qualitative research, bias tends to refer to personal preconceptions that influence decisions and judgements, or to the way in which unskilled moderators can influence the findings of the research through the way in which they conduct the discussion. In quantitative research, it commonly refers to sample bias, i.e. a situation where the sample of people who complete the survey does not accurately represent the population that the research is trying to assess. For example, people who are not confident in using a computer or smartphone will tend to be under-represented in online surveys. However, poor questionnaire design can also introduce bias into quantitative research.

Market research in which the participants do not know the name of the end client. See also Double-blind market research. The technique is used to avoid introducing bias into the research findings.

Market research designed to find out how familiar respondents are with particular brands. The standard method of doing this is via an Unprompted recall question (e.g. when you think of toothpaste brands, which names come to mind?) followed by a Prompted recall question (e.g. which of the following brands of toothpaste are you familiar with?).

Brand Price Trade Off provides a way of assessing how consumers place relative value on a product or brand and its impact on brand consumption. In BPTO studies, respondents are expected to consider a basket of brands at a number of different price points. At each price point, respondents select their preferred brand(s). This helps to build a view of price ranges that brands can operate in and still retain customers.

Brand tracking measures the health of a brand in terms of customer usage and opinion. This can be carried out for both B2B and B2C brands with the aim of obtaining  insight into a brand’s progress at a macro level and diagnosing the changes that will deliver improvement. Key brand tracking metrics will typically cover awareness, consideration, usage and loyalty, as well as attitudes and perceptions.

A market research brief is the foundation of a project. Sent by the sponsor of the research, it outlines the purpose of the study, the methodology, the intended audience, and the timeline in sufficient enough detail for a researcher to undertake the fieldwork.

An Online bulletin board that invites and encourages interaction amongst participants, as well as a dialogue between each participant and the moderator. This approach is often used to collect feedback on product concepts or features.

This type of research targets respondents in relationship to their work as opposed to their behaviour as consumers. It often involves gathering their views on particular products or services which they use in their job, or which they are responsible for purchasing on behalf of their employer.

This describes the types of market research that businesses (and other organisations) conduct with consumers who use their services or products, or may be interested in using them in the future.

Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) is an interview method where the interviewers talk face-to-face with the respondents but follow an electronic script with built in routing on a tablet computer, typing in the respondent’s answers to each question as the interview proceeds. CAPI can be more efficient in terms of data entry than traditional pen and paper techniques and ensures that the correct question (based on the respondent’s previous answers) is always presented to the interviewer.

A Projective technique that involves the respondent viewing a cartoon dialogue with two speech bubbles. One of the speech bubbles is empty for the respondent to fill in their answers.

Computer Assisted Self Interviewing (CASI) is an interview method where the interviewee communicates directly with a computer instead of the interviewer. Online surveys are a form of CASI, although the term is more commonly used in situations where respondents attend a central location (e.g. to view, taste or smell a product) and then complete a survey about it on a tablet computer.

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) is an interview method where the interviewers call the respondents and follow an electronic script with built in routing, typing in the respondent’s answers to each question as the interview proceeds. The routing ensures that each respondent is always asked the correct questions based on their previous answers.

A survey in which a computer telephones respondents and asks pre-recorded questions, which they answer using a touch-tone phone or by giving a short answer. Nowadays it is more common to conduct these surveys by sending the questions as text messages to the respondent’s mobile phone.

Research designed to find out if changes in one variable causes a change in another variable, for example, how the amount of advertising that a person sees for a particular brand influences their likelihood of purchasing  that brand.

A mass collection of data from members of the population of interest.

A virtual space where an online focus group takes place. Individuals discuss a topic online, usually through instant text messaging.

Choice modelling is a technique used in market research to understand the consumer decision-making process. It involves offering participants a choice between a number of different bundles of attributes a product may have (such as price, brand etc) and asking the participant to choose the bundle they prefer. This gives businesses the knowledge of which attributes consumers prefer to build a more appealing product.

A form of Interpreting where the interpreter sits alongside moderator and whispers a Simultaneous interpretation of what is being said. The term comes from the French word for “whispering”.

The client is the sponsor of a research project. Clients will often reach out to an experienced market research agency, such as FieldworkHub, to conduct fieldwork on their behalf.

A type of question where the respondent has a set of predefined answers to choose from. The simplest form of cloed question is one that can be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. See also Open question.

A statistical method which is used to group similar objects into categories retrospectively. Cluster analysis is often used to identify Psychographic segments.

A sampling approach where the clusters of the population are separated into units (for example, households may be separated by postcode or electoral district). A subset of clusters is then selected at random for sampling rather than sampling the entire population. Cluster sampling is a form of Probability sampling.

A qualitative research technique in which customers work together (with each other, with a moderator or with representatives of the client conducting the research) to solve a problem, improve a product or service, or develop aspects of a brand.

All professional market research societies have a code of conduct that outlines the rights and responsibilities of those involved in a research project. FieldworkHub complies with the Market Research Society’s Code of Conduct and ICC/ESOMAR code of conduct.

The translation of respondent answers into a form which is easy to analyse, such as numerical codes. Open-ended questions in quantitative surveys, where respondents may have used different words to express similar concepts, are often processed in this way. Nowadays, open-ended questions in quantitative surveys are often coded using AI-based software.

Short-cuts in thinking that lead people to make imperfect decisions. Human decision-making is heavily influenced by past experience, emotional predisposition, social influence or cognitive limitations. This is helpful in the sense that it enables us to avoid being overloaded by the volume of information that is available to us, but can lead us to make poor choices, particularly in unfamiliar situations. Well-designed market research will typically aim to minimise the impact of cognitive bias.

Research in which each participant is shown two or more products or concepts and asked to compare them, as opposed to Monadic testing where each participant is shown a single product or concept.

Market research carried out to evaluate competitors to understand their strengths and weaknesses, market positioning and strategies. Competitor analysis typically includes an element of secondary research (i.e. desk research) but can also make use of primary research methodologies such as mystery shopping, interviews with competitors’ customers and interviews with former employees of competitors.

The starting point of the creative process which acts as a stimulus for the product, service, advertising and/or pack designs.

Research based on respondent reactions to the description of a product or service as opposed to the actual product or service itself. Concept tests can be used in either qualitative or quantitative studies to enable clients to determine if the description of a product or service has enough merit to be pursued, as well as highlighting changes that need to be made before further development takes place.

A confidence level refers to the probability of the gathered data from market research being accurate. A confidence level of 95% is the widely accepted margin of error for most research projects. Factors that can affect confidence level include the sample size used and variability of demographics within a group of participants.

Confirmation bias is what happens when an individual seeks out patterns of data to support their own preconceived ideas or beliefs. This can lead to flawed conclusions and reinforces ineffective strategies.

The qualitative research approach of recruiting respondents with conflicting attitudes, values or beliefs in relation to a specific topic. These interviews aim to explore a topic from different perspectives while unlocking subject matter, exploring the strength of the issues and opinions held and finding common ground between different attitudinal or behavioural groups of consumers.

A survey-based statistical technique which provides a quantitative measure on how respondents value different features of a product or service.

A form of interpreting where the interpreter speaks in the gaps between speech, e.g. the moderator asks a question and pause while the interpreter translates it, the interviewee then replies and pauses while the interpreter translates the answer. This form of interpreting is often used in Depth interviews, particularly if the moderator, interviewee and interpreter are all sitting in the same room or on a video link with a single audio channel. See also Simultaneous interpreting.

Consumer market research involves gathering and analysing data on consumers of products or services. The type of data gathered helps businesses to understand their customer’s needs, preferences and behaviours, ultimately leading to better product development and more effective marketing campaigns.

In market research, consumer profiling involves gathering data about a business or organisation’s customers to create a profile representing demographics, preferences, and purchasing habits. Profiles can be created for both ideal and current customers for businesses to use as a guide for marketing, strategy development and product development that suits the needs of the customer.

A type of software used in qualitative research. It counts the number of times key phrases/words are used in a conversation. Nowadays most content analysis software is powered by AI and is much better at recording the number of times that particular concepts are mentioned in a conversation, even if different words are used to express them.

Observing market research participants in a controlled setting (as opposed to Ethnographic Market Research, which aims to observe participants in a natural setting).

This is a non probability-based sampling technique which involves selecting respondents based on who is the most accessible at the time.

AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants that engage users in human-like dialogue. They are used in surveys, customer support, and market research interviews.

The process of determining the level of understanding, impact, awareness, and credibility that particular advertising or marketing copy generates. The term originates from print advertising but today copy testing is most commonly used in online marketing since the medium allows for very fast and accurate testing of different copy.

During the process of quantitative data analysis, cross tabulations (cross tabs) are used to examine responses to one question relative to responses to one or more other questions (e.g. to identify how different age groups answer particular questions in a different way). Cross-tabs allow researchers to quickly and clearly identify the results of the research conducted and pick out key themes or stories.

A method of market research that involves two or more countries or across two or more cultural or ethnic groups.

Journey mapping visually captures customers’ processes, needs and perceptions throughout their interaction and relationship with a given brand. The customer journey map is used to visualise the end to end customer journey across all touchpoints between the customer and the organisation. This is potentially from initial awareness through to contact, purchasing, after sales support, and then renewal or repurchase. The map helps clients to look at how their customers actually experience their brand versus how the brand thinks customers do.

Also known as Customer experience (CX) research. A quantitative market research tool used to identify levels of customer satisfaction in relation to various aspects of a product or service. A customer satisfaction survey generally relates to customer experience and includes ways to measure the respondents’ overall satisfaction, likelihood to re-commission a service company or return to the same store or brand to buy a product and their willingness to recommend the service, product or brand to others (see Net Promoter Score).

A method which is used to analyse qualitative data. The original data is cut and pasted into sections of a table relating to the various research topics. Nowadays, physical cut-and-paste analysis and manual cutting-and-pasting of text on a computer screen has largely been replaced by AI-driven content analysis which can automate this process.

Data is the information that is collected in the process of conducting market research. Primary data is collected directly from sources like surveys, interviews, focus groups and user testing sessions. Secondary data already exists in external sources, such as reports, government information, and analysis from competitors. Once collected, data can be used to inform businesses in their decision-making and strategy planning processes.

Data analysis is a process used in both qualitative and quantitative research where data that has been collected through surveys is examined for patterns and insights that help inform business strategy. Data is cleaned and structured, patterns that are relevant to the brief are identified, then shaped into a report that communicates the found insights.

Data capture is the process in market research where raw qualitative and quantitative data is collected from a specified target audience. Market research makes use of a number of methodologies to capture data, including online questionnaires, in-person interviews, focus group sessions, observations, and face-to-face interviews. FieldworkHub has extensive experience delivering a range of research methodologies.

After data has been collected, data cleaning is essential to ensure errors and inconsistencies are identified and removed. The process includes removing typos and formatting issues, removing missing responses and removing duplicates to ensure the data is ready for effective analysis.

The process of data mining involves using machine learning and AI tools for analysing large datasets. It is useful for uncovering patterns and insights into consumer behaviours with the use of big data and automated software to save time and resources.

Data protection in the market research world refers to the legal and ethical guidelines researchers adhere to when handling personal information collected from individuals. Guidelines differ in various regions, for example in Japan, researchers must follow the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) whereas in the USA, research specifically around healthcare should follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

A method of cross-verifying data by using multiple sources, methodologies, or analysts to increase the reliability and accuracy of research findings.

Demographics refer to objective information that is collected during the survey process to provide statistical data about the population. Some factors include age, gender, income, education level, marital status, sexuality, race, nationality and geographic location. In some markets, asking questions regarding race must be approached sensitively, and in some countries classifying participants by race is illegal.

Also known as In-Depth Interviews (IDIs). A depth interview is an unstructured or semi-structured qualitative interview that probes detailed aspects of attitudes, needs, wants and behaviours. This type of interview is typically undertaken with consumers when the subject matter is sensitive or emotive and therefore inappropriate for larger forums such as focus groups. They are often used in B2B and healthcare market research to gather very specific and detailed feedback from respondents who are experts in their field.

Also known as Secondary research. The collation and analysis of publicly available information such as previous research, the press, the internet, academic reports and statistics already in the public domain. Desk research may be conducted as a precursor to Primary market research (which involves talking directly to a sample of the target population), or to augment it.

A market research technique in which respondents/participants give their reaction to a visual or audio stimulus in real time by turning a dial (or moving a slider) to indicate a positive or negative response. Dial testing is widely used to test audience responses to adverts, TV shows and political speeches or debates.

Diary studies are a qualitative research method involving a participant contributing in-the-moment insights on a particular topic over an extended period of time. It is a useful tool for capturing insights as activities occur and tracking feelings over time.

A form of testing for consumer products such as foodstuffs, personal care products and small appliances where consumers slected to take part in the research receive a sample of the product or products to be tested (either through the post or by collecting them from a central location) and try them at home for a specified period before answering questions about their experience. Typically the feedback involves completing an Online survey, but it could also be a Video survey, AI-moderated interview or online interview with a human moderator. Also known as At-home testing, or In-home user testing.

A discussion guide is used within qualitative research methods such as focus groups and depth interviews to provide a structured framework of topics and questions to follow. Acting as a roadmap, a discussion guide also helps manage the flow of conversation and reminds the interviewer to stay on topic and within certain time constraints, so that valuable insights are not missed.

Eliminate a potential participant during screening for a market research study. Also referred to as Screening out or Terminating (because the screening process is terminated based on the person’s responses).

Door-to-door interviewing is a qualitative research technique involving interviewers visiting participants at their home in order to conduct market research. Benefits include the fact that it can reach participants who may otherwise be difficult to reach by methods such as phone or online (such as seniors, those with limited mobility and the digitally disadvantaged) and for research that needs to target people living in a particular area it gives a high degree of confidence that the right people have been interviewed. However, it is relatively expensive way of collecting data because it is labour-intensive.

Market research in which neither the participants nor the interviewer/ researcher knows the name of the sponsor. The technique is used to avoid introducing bias into the research findings.

Enabling is a qualitative technique most often used in depth interviews, and occasionally in focus groups. It involves the use of indirect prompts, such as using an imaginary scenario, to encourage participants to express thoughts and meanings that may be difficult to give in direct terms. The aim is for participants to express themselves more honestly with the hopes of gaining deeper insights than they might spontaneously give.

Energy and utilities research covers a range of topics, such as electricity, water, heating, and current topics such as energy conservation, fossil fuels and the move towards green energy. FieldworkHub has delivered projects with consumer audiences, such as focus groups with homeowners on the topic of central heating boilers, and B2B audiences, for example, focus groups with influencers in the energy sector.

ESOMAR is a membership organisation representing the interests of the data, research and insights profession at an international level. Joint publisher of the ICC/Esomar International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics.

After an agency decides a project is feasible, an estimate breakdown for how much the project will cost and each element that the agency will undertake will be delivered to the client.

A qualitative market research technique in which respondents/participants are observed using products and services in their own environment, e.g. using a kitchen appliance to make a meal in their own home.

An executive summary is delivered at the conclusion of a market research project. It is a written report including an overview of the main points of discovery reached during fieldwork, and occasionally, recommendations on how the client can utilise the findings of the research.

Interview conducted with a customer leaving a shop, restaurant etc to find out about their experience. Exit interviews are typically short quantitative interviews designed to find out what proportion of departing customers bought something, the reasons why they bought or did not buy, and how likely they are to return. These interviews can identify brand, product or customer experience issues which have been previously unknown or provide a new perspective on known issues. The insight gained can then be used  to increase levels of customer satisfaction and retention.

Mostly utilised in the preliminary stages of a research project, exploratory research is a method of investigating a new or previously under-researched topic. The overall aim is to form new ideas around a particular topic, with flexibility in mind.

Research using sensors to identify what a participant is looking at, reading, missing or ignoring. It also shows how long a person spent looking at something and the journey that their gaze took before and afterwards. Simple eye-tracking for screen-based stimulus material (e.g. TV ads or website) can be carried out using a webcam, but a greater degree of precision is possible with specially designed eye-tracking glasses which generally use infra-red light to illuminate the participant’s eyes and monitor where the pupils are looking.

Fashion and style market research is dedicated to clothing, shoes, accessories, and cosmetics. Fashion research can involve interviewing consumers of fashion brands extending from high fashion to fast fashion, or B2B research with workers involved in textile production and decision makers within major global fashion brands. FieldworkHub has a large amount of experience in this field, from arranging research sessions on a new footwear brand due to launch in the UK to multi-market focus groups on basketball culture and shop-alongs with teenagers on personal style.

Field and tab refers to the process of data collection (fielding) and tabulating quantitative results in market research. It dates back to at least the mid 20th century when these were two very distinct processes: data was usually collected face to face and recorded on paper forms, while tabulation occurred in a central location and involved going through the forms to count responses by hand, or later, transferring the data from the forms to punch cards that could be read by a computer. Nowadays data is typically entered straight into a computer at the time of collection and tabulation is automatic.

The part of a market research study that involves collecting data from external sources, e.g. through interviews or focus groups. It is useful to think of fieldwork as the middle stage of a market research study, preceded by a stage where the objectives of the market research are defined, and followed by a stage where the findings are analysed.

Financial services market research is centered around the financial services sector. It may involve interviewing both consumer audiences on topics such as banking preferences and user testing sessions of new FinTech developments, to B2B research on working processes and policy changes. One of FieldworkHub’s specialities, we have successfully recruited high net-worth individuals for qualitative app testing sessions, Moroccan expats for a qualitative focus group on banking preferences, and conducted a quantitative research study with small business owners on the topic of accounting software.

A planned group discussion (typically involving 6 to 8 carefully selected participants) led by a moderator which aims to find out the respondents’ perceptions and opinions about the topic under discussion, for example, a brand or a new product. In a focus group, the respondents can interact with each other as well as the moderator, which may generate more, or different, insights to interviewing them individually. A focus group can be held face to face or online and  typically lasts 60 to 120 minutes.

The dynamics within a focus group refer to the interactions and relationships that are formed between participants in a focus group setting. A moderator is able to encourage these dynamics and allow participants to bounce off of each other to allow for deeper, thoughtful data to be gathered.

Food and drink research is used for assessing how successful an edible product is within its intended audience. Taste testing, brand positioning and packaging preferences are all hypothesis that may be tested during qualitative food and drink research. FieldworkHub has conducted many successful food and drink research studies, from taste testing of flavoured coffee syrups in the UK, to interviews with beer drinkers in Belgium and buyers of premium tequila in the USA.

A freelance market researcher is not employed by a particular agency, but works as an individual moving ad hoc between different companies on different projects.

In the market research space, frequency refers to the amount of times an individual response occurs within data collected through a survey. It is useful for identifying how often opinions of a particular product or service appear.

A detailed report from a market research study, explaining the methodology used, the sample selected, and containing detailed analysis of all of the findings as well as the conclusions and recommendations. A full report can be expected to contain much more detail than a Topline report and will accordingly take longer to produce.

A full-service agency have the capabilities of delivering a market research project from the initial planning stages to the final analysis. While some agencies specialise in stages of the fieldwork, such as recruitment or data analysis, a full-service agency provides support throughout the entire process, including method selection, recruitment, fieldwork, and report delivery.

The gamification of surveys, particularly those hosted online, are a particularly useful method of keeping participants engaged, especially for younger participants. Gamification means applying elements typical of game playing, such as point scoring, competition with others, to make participation in a survey fun.

One of the oldest market research techniques, a gang survey involves conducting research with a group of participants in a facility to test, view, and feel a product. The benefits of utilising a gang survey include immediate feedback on a product with its target customer. A more robust method may be ethnographical research or at-home user testing.

A market research session in which a large number of respondents take part at the same time. Gang tests often combine quantitative elements (e.g. self-completed questionnaires) and qualitative elements (e.g. moderator-led discussions).

A regulation in European Union law on data protection and privacy for all individuals that applies in the 27 EU Member States and the European Economic Area (EEA), a slightly larger grouping comprising the EU Member States plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Although the UK has left the EU, as a former Member State it continues to apply it own version of the GDPR (known as UK GDPR). The GDPR also addresses the transfer of personal data from the EU and EEA areas to the rest of the world. All market research organisations operating in Europe are obliged to comply with the GDPR.

The cohort born since the early 2010s. This is the current generation of pre-school children and school children in the lower years of secondary school. For many, the lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have been an important feature of their childhood. They are too young to remember the world before social media and are expected to be even more socially aware and digitally savvy than Generation Z.

The cohort born between the early to mid-1960s and the early to mid-1980s. By the time they entered the workforce, lifetime employment was no longer the norm, and Generation X has been credited with being more entrepreneurial than the Baby Boomers as a result. They are also seen as more cynical and sceptical of authority and as seeking a better work-life balance than the Baby Boomers. This generation witnessed the emergence of music videos and mobile communications and by the time most of them entered the workforce, personal computers were becoming widespread in business.

Also known as Millennials. The cohort born between the early to mid-1980s and the late 1990s. They were entering the workforce as the financial crisis of 2008 struck and their employment prospects have been severely impacted by the recession that followed. They are seen as more socially liberal than earlier generations on issues such as gender definitions and same-sex marriage. Generation Y grew up using personal computers at school and at home, and mobile phones and social media to communicate with their friends.

Also known as Digital Natives. The cohort born between the late 1990s and the early 2010s. The internet was already pervasive when this generation was born and they have used smartphones from a young age. For this reason they are often referred to as Digital Natives. They are now entering the workforce and while their characteristics as adults are not yet fully defined, they are seen as being the most socially aware generation to date and are thought to be good multi-taskers because they are used to the constant interruptions of online life.

A technique that uses GPS and location-based data to study consumer movement patterns, store visits, and regional preferences. Often used in retail, advertising, and urban planning research.

In the market research world, geographics involves dividing potential consumers into groups by postal/zip code, city, region or country. It can be helpful when considering factors that can affect research outcomes and even outlining a research project, such as climate and population density.

A growth rate is defined by the percentage increase or decrease in a specific metric over a period of time, typically one year, or several years. Market growth rate is a key indicator for businesses to assess progress and predict future competitiveness.

A research methodology where participants are invited to attend a set location and asked for their opinions on a certain stimulus, for example, a new beverage.

Healthcare market research is dedicated to the healthcare sector. A large proportion of this research is commissioned by pharmaceutical and biotech companies and also manufacturers of medical equipment and consumable supplies. As regulations and norms can differ globally, it is important to recognise these differences when conducting multi-country research. FieldworkHub has a lot of experience in conducting multi-country healthcare market research on topics ranging from living with bronchiectasis, to implantable cardiac devices and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It was enacted into US law to safeguard patient privacy and establish strict standards for managing, transferring and securing health data in the USA.

A payment made to a market research participant to thank them for giving up their time to take part. The term honorarium is typically used in the context of research with B2B profiles and healthcare professionals (in consumer market research it is more commonly referred to as an Incentive). Many countries have rules on the disclosure of honoraria paid to healthcare professionals and acceptable levels of payment.

In quantitative research, refers to the probability that the finding from a sample could have occurred by chance. For example, suppose you have developed a new formulation for your product and want to find out if people prefer it to the current one by asking a random sample of 100 people to test both formulations. The null hypothesis would be that there is no preference for the new formulation and the alternative hypothesis would be that people do prefer the new formulation. Based on the number of people who preferred the new formulation in your sample, a statistical hypothesis test will tell you how likely it is that the null hypothesis is true and conversely, how likely it is that the alternative hypothesis is true. In qualitative research, hypothesis testing may refer to any kind of preliminary research to test out new ideas, which may then be explored in more detail through further qualitative or quantitative research.

International Chamber of Commerce. Joint publisher of the ICC/Esomar International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics.

A research technique that measures subconscious attitudes and biases by analysing reaction times to different stimuli. It is commonly used in brand perception and consumer psychology studies.

Also known as a Depth Interview. An unstructured or semi-structured qualitative interview that probes detailed aspects of attitudes, needs, wants and behaviours. This type of interview is typically undertaken with consumers when the subject matter is sensitive or emotive and therefore inappropriate for larger forums such as focus groups. They are often used in B2B and healthcare market research to gather very specific and detailed feedback from respondents who are experts in their field.

Also known as at-home testing is a research method allowing participants to take a product home with them for testing. Direct-to-consumer (or DTC) self-tests of established products are rapidly gaining popularity in the healthcare sector, and there are significant advantages to using them during the trial stages of a new product or packaging. Participants in the research can be observed using the product in their natural environment, for example, using a new type of kitchen gadget in their own kitchen. The type of insights gathered at home are unreplicable in a facility setting.

A monetary or non-monetary reward given to a market research participant to thank them for giving up their time to take part. Also referred to as an Honorarium in B2B and healthcare market research.

The proportion of the target population that qualify to take part in the study, based on the screening criteria that have been set. This is a key cost driver for market research as it determines the number of people who need to be screened to select the sample. To reduce unnecessary screening, the target population is typically narrowed as far as possible based on information that the research agency already holds about potential respondents such as their age, location, profession or household composition. Note that in healthcare research, incidence rate refers to the rate of newly diagnosed cases in a given period (typically a year). The proportion of people living with a condition, whether newly diagnosed or not, is referred to as Prevalence.

The conclusions drawn from the analysis of research data.

An intercept is a form of voxpop used for gathering public opinion. Often conducted in the street and captured on video, interviewers will approach random members of the public to obtain their raw, spontaneous thoughts on a particular topic.

Spoken translation of a research session from the language it is being conducted in to another language for the benefit of observers. There are two common forms of interpreting: in Simultaneous interpreting (also referred to as Simultaneous translation), the interpreter listens to the person speaking on headphones and speaks into a microphone as the same time – this is the type of interpreting that you may have seen used at meetings of big international organisations such as the United Nations. In Consecutive interpreting (also referred to as Consecutive translation), the interpreter waits for the person speaking to finish a sentence, then translates it while the speaker pauses – this is the type of interpreting that you see on news broadcasts when an interviewer is talking to someone who speaks a different language. Consecutive interpreting doesn’t require any special equipment but it does mean that the research session takes longer.

Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD) research is based on the theory that people buying products are hiring them to achieve specific outcomes, for example, someone who buys a drill is “hiring” the ability to make holes. The job of making holes can be thought of from several perspectives: functional, emotional, and social. The functional job might be to hang a picture on the wall, the emotional job might be to make the owner’s living room look more welcoming, and the social job might be to impress the owner’s partner with their practical skills. JTBD research considers the functional, emotional, and social outcomes that consumers are trying to achieve through their purchases. This can then for the basis for uncovering needs that are currently unmet, which in turn can facilitate product innovation. The original foundations of JTBD theory were developed by Tony Ulwick in 1990, but the concept was popularised by Clayton Christensen in his 2003 book The Innovator’s Solution.

Describes the situation where a market researcher consciously selects the sample which they believe to be the most appropriate for the research.

Key driver analysis, sometimes shortened to KDA, is a technique in market research used to identify the most influential outcome.

An interviewing method that explores the underlying motivations behind consumer decisions by repeatedly asking “why”. This technique uncovers the deep-seated values and drivers behind purchase behaviour.

Length of interview (often abbreviated to LOI) is the time taken for a market research session to be completed. The terminology dates back to the time when all market research interviews (qualitative and quantitative) involved a human interviewer, but nowadays it is also applied to self-service methodologies, such as online surveys.

A type of Rating scale survey question where respondents are asked to state the extent to which they agree of disagree with a series of statements (e.g. strongly agree, slightly agree, neither agree nor disagree, slightly disagree, strongly disagree). The scale is named after its inventor, American psychologist Rensis Likert (1903-1981). Traditionally, Likert scales have an odd number of possible answers, leaving a neutral position in the middle, but in market research they can include an even number of possible answers instead, forcing respondents to decide which side of the middle they are on. The term Likert scale is often used to describe other types of rating scale as well.

Longitudinal market research monitors changes in respondents’ perceptions, behaviour or demands over time. A longitudinal study may observe the same group of people for a protracted period, in which case it is called a cohort study. The participants will often have a key characteristic in common.

Research designed to help a company gain the insight needed to enter a new geographic market or launch a new brand, product or service by, for example, understanding the ways in which the new target customers are similar to the company’s existing companies and the ways in which they are different. Market entry research may use a combination of desk research, qualitative primary research and quantitative primary research.

A market research company (or market research agency) is a company that specialises in conducting market research. Market research companies are often hired by clients to outline and manage a research project on their behalf. The benefits to hiring a company that specialises in market research include access to a large pool of potential research participants, complete project oversight aligned with current guidelines and regulations, and up-to-date knowledge of the trends and tools that can help to get the best insight out of participants.

A market research interview is the process in which primary data is gathered from an individual. Held between an interviewer and a participant, a questionnaire or discussion guide is followed and data on a specific topic is collected. An interview can be pre-arranged with a pre-recruited individual that meets a specific criteria, or held spontaneously with a member of the general population.

A market research interviewer is an individual that conducts interviews with participants on various topics and records their responses. They also guide and keep the participant engaged in the research, while probing for more detailed responses.

A group of research participants, typically users (or potential users) of the client’s products and services that is set up to take part in ad hoc or longitudinal market research. An MROC can be thought of as a longer term version of an online bulletin board. Whereas an online bulletin board is usually set up with a specific purpose in mind and lasts a few days, an MROC may be set up to serve multiple purposes and the community may remain active for weeks, months or even years.

Also known as an Access Panel or an Online panel. A panel made up of people who have either applied or been invited to become panel members. Panel members are then invited to take part in research projects that are aligned to their profile and registered interests. Respondents are often incentivised with a monetary gift. Panels can be consumer or business-oriented. If you would like to join FieldworkHub’s panel, please visit: https://myfieldworkhub.com/

A market research strategy is a structured plan developed by a business or organisation to collect and analyse data on its target customers, competitors and industry trends. High-quality data sources can then be used to guide improvements in the products or services that the business or organisation offers, or the way in which they are marketed.

The process of market segmentation involves dividing a larger, broad target group into smaller, distinct groups who share similar demographics or behaviours. This allows for researchers to target a more niche audience.

A type of survey question designed to rank the preferences of individual respondents to a set of attributes or features. In its simplest form (which would more correctly be called Best/Worst Scaling) respondents are simply shown a list of attributes and asked to pick their favourite and their least favourite. This provides quite a lot of information about their ranking preferences but their preference for each possible pair of attributes. However, by repeating the question several times with different selections of attributes displayed each time, it is possible to build up a complete view of pairwise preferences.

The mean is an average calculated by adding up all the values in a set of numbers and dividing that total by the number of values in the set. The mean represents the centre of a numerical set of data. It is a good measure of the average in data sets that do not have any extreme outliers (e.g. it is good for household size but less good for income level).

The median is the middle value in a number set, after arranging the data from smallest to largest. If there is an odd number of numerical values, the median is the single middle number. If there is an even number of numerical values, the median is the mean of the two middle numbers. The median tends to be a better estimate of the average than the Mean in data sets which contain extreme outliers (e.g. income distribution or property values).

There are intent-driven moments when consumers turn to their smartphones, or other devices, for quick answers or immediate decision-making (e.g. should I walk, or order a ride-sharing service?). Understanding these moments helps brands deliver timely and relevant content.

A qualitative research method in which participants use their smartphones to capture their real-world experiences through videos, photos, and voice notes. Mobile Ethnographies help provide an in-depth understanding of everyday behaviours.

Market research where the respondent participates via a handheld device such as a mobile or tablet. Often this involves completing some form of mobile diary or tasks on an Online bulletin board which has been optimised for mobile use.

Also known as the modal value. The most frequently occurring value in a number set. An example of the way in which the mode is used in market research is in a Spontaneous recall question. The modal value is the one mentioned by the most people.

The person who leads a focus group or conducts a depth interview. The role of the moderator is to create the right environment for the focus group or interview, guide the discussion to ensure that all relevant topics are covered in the right amount of depth, probe the respondents’ initial answers to validate them and obtain deeper insights, and act as a time-keeper.

Research in which each participant is shown a single product or concept, as opposed to a Comparison test where each participant is shown two or more products or concepts at the same time and asked to compare them. Sequential monadic testing is a variation of the basic monadic test in which participants are shown several products or concepts one after the other and asked to comment on each one individually.

The Market Research Society. A professional body for market research based in London. MRS members must adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct.

Within a market research questionnaire, multi-code refers to the ability for a participant to choose multiple responses for a single question. The benefits of allowing multiple responses include gaining a deeper understanding of multiple contributing factors to a question. An example of this could be a question such as, “What is your favourite flavour of ice cream? Please select your top 3.” This allows the researcher to capture more comprehensive insights, which ultimately improves data quality.

Usually refers to market research that uses a combination of different methodologies (e.g. a mix of face-to-face and telephone interviews). May also refer to research that asks participants to use several different senses to comment on a product, e.g. the appearance, aroma and taste of a food product, or which uses a combination of verbal and non-verbal responses to the stimulus material.

Within a market research questionnaire, multiple-choice questions provide participants with a structured, pre-selected list of responses to choose from. Most often used within a screener or a quantitative research survey, the benefits of using multiple-choice questions include being easy and fast for participants to answer, leading to higher completion rates. Multiple-choice questions are also useful for providing structured data for quantitative research studies that is simple to analyse.

Covert testing of a store in which a shopper conducts a ‘real’ visit and undertakes pre-defined shopping to assess the nature of the customer experience being provided. Now also used to refer to covert testing of services (e.g. at a bank branch or airport check-in).

A value calculated by asking respondents “How likely are you to recommend this brand, product or service to a friend?”. The classic question asks them to rate this on a scale from 0 to 10 where 0 means not at all likely and 10 means extremely likely. Respondents who answer 9 or 10 are referred to as Promoters, those who answer 7 or 8 are referred to as Passives and those who answer 0 to 6 are referred to as Detractors. The NPS is the percentage of Promoters minus the percentage of Detractors.

Ethnographic research which is carried out purely online, usually through an online community moderated by a researcher.

Neuromarketing applies to the use of neuroscience techniques to reveal the brain’s non-conscious reaction to marketing stimuli. The method uses technologies such as functional magnetic resonance imaging measure activity in different areas of the brain, whilst sensors are able to detect changes in physiology, including breathing, heart rate and skin response. Eye tracking monitors focal attention whilst facial coding can translate facial expression into human emotions.

Market research designed to support the development of new products and services. This type of research can be carried out using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. It aims to identify and evaluate new commercial opportunities, assess early-stage propositions or enable respondents to interact with more developed ideas or prototypes. Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD) research is an approach that is often applied to new product development research.

A nominal scale is a level of measurement within a market research survey where the data being categorised has no implied rank or quantitative value. An example question could be, “What is your favourite type of soft drink?” and the responses could be Coca-cola, Sprite, Fanta etc. These responses are mutually-exclusive examples of qualitative data that have been categorised on a nominal scale.

A person who would consider buying or using a particular product or service, even if they don’t currently do so. Market research clients typically want to hear from non-rejectors of the product or service they are researching: they can learn what current users like and dislike about it, and they can learn what they might need to change to attract potential users. However, people who have already made up their minds that they’ll never buy or use it may not be willing to engage at all, or may only be able to offer limited insights to the client.

An observation room is usually present within a market research facility. Used during in-person research methods, such as Focus groups or Usability testing sessions, the room is often set up with a One-way mirror and audiovisual equipment so that clients and researchers can observe participants’ behaviour and interactions with products and each other. The benefits of this discreet observation style include being able to observe the natural behaviour of participants without disturbing their real-time interactions or subliminally influencing participants taking part in research.

Also known (somewhat confusingly) as a Two-way mirror. In a Viewing facility, a window that separates the client viewing area from the respondents’ area. From the respondents’ side the window looks like a mirror, but from the client side it looks like a piece of tinted glass, allowing the client representatives to see the respondents.

Online research typically held over the course of several days. Participants will be expected to contribute to activities such as online chats and respond to stimulus material that is provided by a moderator. Usually, online bulletin boards offer flexibility by allowing participants to respond at a time that suits them, which helps to reduce the drop-out rate. Also used to describe the technology platforms that support this type of research.

Online market research is rapidly growing in use around the world. The benefits of conducting market research online are fast access to a wide range of participants, easy-to-use tools to assist survey creation, and research that can be done anytime, anywhere. Methodologies that can be conducted online include online focus groups, online in-depth interviews, online surveys, and online bulletin boards.

An online panel (also known as an Access panel or a Market research panel) is a pre-screened group of individuals who volunteer to take part in surveys, focus groups or other types of market research. An online panel is easy to reach out to via email or text, making recruitment of a specific target audience for any type of market research fast and simple.

A digital questionnaire used to collect data from respondents via the internet (i.e. the data is entered on a laptop or mobile device). The data collected is usually quantitative in nature, although it is possible in principle to collect qualitative opinions via an online survey. Most market research agencies use a purpose-built online survey platform to collect this type of data because these platforms offer a wide variety of question types, routing options, panel integrations, fraud prevention tools and data analysis and reporting options but it is also possible to conduct small surveys using online tools which are bundled with office productivity suites, such as Microsoft Forms and Google Forms.

Also known as an Unstructured question or just an open question. In quantitative research, questions that the respondents answer in their own words rather than selecting from pre-defined answers. In qualitative research, questions that encourage participants to be elaborative in their response (e.g. questions that begin What? Where? Why? How?). Open-ended questions can provide more qualitative information than closed questions but a survey with too many open-ended questions can tire respondents.

A type of interview where respondents are interviewed in pairs, e.g. business partners, siblings or married couples.

See Market Research Panel.

A form of face-to-face research in which an interviewer asks questions and records the respondents answers on a paper form. This approach has largely been superseded by CAPI in which the interviewer enters the answers directly into a tablet computer (which avoids the need for later transcription of the responses, thus reducing time delays and the possibility of transcription errors). However, PAPI can still be a faster way of collecting data if there is a very limited window of opportunity to interview respondents (e.g. if you want to speak to audience members as they exit from a cinema).

Someone who takes part in market research. Also known as a Respondent.

Gathering consumer data without direct interaction, often through tracking of visits to websites, use of mobile apps, and use of wearables and other connected devices. This method provides insights into behaviour without self-reporting bias.

Patient research is a type of healthcare market research that involves collecting data from patients. It usually focuses on a particular medical condition. FieldworkHub has extensive experience recruiting patients for various healthcare research topics. Research sessions can involve testing new ways of monitoring chronic conditions, or exploring symptoms and daily living experiences of patients in order to improve patient comfort. Recruitment of patients to take part in experimental treatments (for example, drug trials) is not usually carried out by market research agencies but by agencies which specialise in this type of recruitment and have a good understanding of the many regulatory and ethical considerations involved.

Personally identifiable information, also known as PII, refers to data that can be used to identify a specific individual. This can include direct identifiers such as name, bank account number, passport number, or driving licence number, as well as indirect identifers such as IP address or date of birth. Market research agencies are responsible for maintaining participants’ privacy and must comply with the data protection regulations that apply to each market that they work in.

Market research dedicated to pets is gaining traction in recent years, as consumer spending on animal care grows. In the UK alone, consumer spending on pets jumped by 76% in the five years following the pandemic. FieldworkHub has conducted both consumer research (e.g. online bulletin boards with dog owners on the brand of dog food they prefer to purchase for their pet) and B2B research (e.g. collecting the opinions of vets on changes within their profession and future policy) relating to domestic pets.

In market research, pie charts are often used within a final report to present what proportion of participants selected a specific response. They are easy to interpret and best for displaying a small number of categories. For more complex values, a bar chart is often a better choice.

A study conducted before a main research exercise. This is used to evaluate elements of a proposed research approach before a full roll out of the study. Pilot studies are routinely used for quantitative studies, typically involving 10% of the full quota, to check that all aspects of the study are running smoothly before proceeding with the rest of the sample. Pilot studies may also be used in large qualitative projects to validate the approach being taken.

A task given to market research participants to complete before taking part in a qualitative market research study, for example completing a diary, filling in a questionnaire, or making a note of their purchases at a supermarket. Pre-tasks aim to ensure that respondents are conscious of the research subject area, allowing for a more focused discussion when the research project commences.

In healthcare research, the proportion of the population with the condition of interest (as opposed to the Incidence rate, which is the proportion of the population that is newly diagnosed with the condition each year).

A technique for determining consumer price preferences. Respondents are asked at what price they would consider a product or service to be cheap, expensive, so cheap that they would doubt the quality and so expensive that they would not consider buying it. The results are plotted as cumulative frequencies (with the cheap and too cheap lines inverted), with the intersection of the cheap and expensive lines often considered to be the optimal price point.

Research geared towards determining how the demand for a product or service will change according to its price point, i.e. the price elasticity of demand for the product or service.

Research conducted directly with subjects of a study (as opposed to Secondary research which involves the collation of pre-existing sources of data). The term is a catch-all, referring to both qualitative and quantitative approaches including focus groups, surveys, field tests and observation.

Also known as probabilistic sampling. A sampling method in which each member of a target population has a known, non-zero probability of being selected. There are a number of probabilistic sampling methods including Random sampling, Stratified sampling, Cluster sampling and Systematic sampling (also known as Interval sampling).

Research undertaken in order to understand how a product or a brand is perceived to be positioned on key attributes relative to competitors or substitutes. Usually carried out to ensure that the product or brand in question can be positioned in the most effective way in the market.

A research method used to evaluate a product’s performance, quality, and usability before it is launched in the market. This helps businesses refine their offerings based on real user feedback.

A technique in which participants are encouraged to articulate their thoughts and feelings about a product or brand by reference to another object or situation. A classic example is the question “if Brand X was an animal, what type of animal would it be?”. Other projective techniques include Word association, Sentence completion and Cartoon completion.

A type of question in which respondents are asked how familiar they are with each name on a list of brands. This type of question is often used in Screeners to identify people who know about the client’s brand without revealing who the client is. Sometimes the list includes a small number of made-up brands to help identify respondents who are not concentrating or pretending to be familiar with more brands than they really are.

A method of grouping respondents or consumers who may otherwise be very different, in terms of similar psychological characteristics such as their attitudes, values, outlook or fears. A simple example would be to categorise people as novelty-seekers or traditionalists. Identifying these characteristics can form the basis for segmentation and targeting. Psychographic segments are typically identifed by performing Cluster analysis on the results of an online survey of the target audience.

Qualifying questions are present during a market research Screener, to ensure the correct target group is captured. They ensure the selected participant meets the criteria to continue with the main bulk of the questionnaire.

A research approach which involves a small number of carefully selected individuals and is used to produce non-quantifiable insights into behaviour, motivations, attitudes and opinions. Qualitative methodologies include Focus groups, Bulletin boards and Depth interviews.

A research approach which is structured to produce quantifiable insights into behaviour, motivations and attitudes, typically by interviewing a Representative sample of the target population. This research method is characterised by the use of structured questionnaires and set questions with limited responsiveness to context. Quantitative research usually involves interviews with a fairly large sample of the target population to ensure that the results are statistically significant. Quantitative methodologies include Online surveys, Telephone surveys and Face-to-face surveys.

A market research questionnaire is a carefully compiled set of questions used to gather data about a particular topic, product, or service.

The term quota in market rearch refers to a group of key demographics that a client will be looking to reach. Within the larger sample of participants, a target number of those sharing key demographics will be set, and referred to as a quota. For example, if 200 respondents are to be recruited, with a fixed quota of 25% male and 75% female, the quota a researcher would aim to reach by the end of fieldwork would be 50 male and 150 female participants.

Random digit dialling is a technique used to create sample for CATI surveys. Phone numbers are randomly generated using a computer program and combined with existing area codes to create a number ready to be dialled by a telephone interviewer. The benefits of using this method are making sure that both listed and unlisted numbers are included in the sample, which provides a more inclusive sample than using a directory or client list.

A sample based on a random selection of a subset of a total population. Each individual has the same probability of being selected. Random sampling is one form of Probability sampling. Almost all statistical calculations performed on samples, such as Hypothesis testing,  are predicated on the sample having been randomly selected. It is also worth noting that choosing a random sample minimises the risk that the sample will be  biased due to unknown causes, whereas choosing a representative sample minimises the risk that the sample will be biased due to known causes.

Random sampling involves sample being created through chance. Participants being chosen depends on the luck of the draw, meaning each individual has the same chance of being included. Methods of random sampling include using a specific computer program or a random number generator.

A type of survey question where respondents are asked to respond to questions or statements by assigning by assigning a numeric value (e.g. on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree, how much do you agree with the following statements?) or a non-numeric value (e.g. picking an emoji that best represents their view of the service they have received). The agree/disagree version of a rating scale question is called a Likert scale.

Raw data is delivered to clients in its most basic form. It may have personally identifiable information removed, but usually is delivered straight from the platform that is used to collect it. Examples include recordings of interviews in qualitative research and spreadsheets showing the answers that each respondent gave to each question in quantitative research.

Market research relating to real estate or property. FieldworkHub’s experience in real estate and property research covers a range of topics, including consumer research with people who rent a home in London, new types of rental accommodation, including a proposed co-living development in London, and luxury retirement flats in Chelsea, and mortgages to B2B research with estate agents and managers who make decisions about office space.

Recollective is a qualitative research platform used to power online surveys, depth-interviews, online market research communities, and focus groups. FieldworkHub is an official partner of Recollective, and we have frequently run research on their platform and delivered high-quality insights with fully engaged participants for our end clients.

The process of selecting market research respondents/participants who fit the client’s target profile and validating their suitability and willingness to participate in the study.

A person who would never consider buying or using a particular product or service. Market research clients typically don’t want to hear from people who have already made up their minds that they’ll never buy or use the client’s product or service as they may not be willing to engage in a discussion about it, or may only be able to offer limited insights. The opposite of a rejector is a Non-rejector.

A subset of a larger cohort that reflects the wider characteristics of that cohort, e.g. in terms of factors such as gender, age, education, working status, income and purchasing behaviour. A representative sample may also be random, but it is not necessarily so. Choosing a representative sample minimises the risk that the sample will be biased due to known causes, whereas a random sample minimises the risk that the sample will be  biased due to unknown causes.

The specification of research to be undertaken. It generally contains details about the methodology, sample, geographic focus, data collection approach, data analysis methodology and the format of reporting.

Someone who takes part in market research. Also known as a Participant.

In a market research facility, the room where the respondents or participants sit, as distinct from the Observation room which is where clients and researchers sit to observe participants’ behaviour.

The number of successfully completed interviews or returned questionnaires expressed as a percentage of the original sample size.

Retail and shopping market research revolves around wholesaling, e-commerce and the retail trade. Retail and wholesale businesses may wish to conduct research to assess customer perceptions of a new product or review the in-person or online shopping experience through shop-alongs or user testing. FieldworkHub has extensive experience of retail research, from running consumer face-to-face shop-alongs in brick-and-mortar stores in Switzerland and focus groups assessing the brand perception of retail chains to B2B interviews about pop-up stores in the UK and focus groups with independent retailers of mobile services.

A subset of the target population selected to take part in a market research study.

Eliminate a potential participant during screening for a market research study. Also referred to as Disqualifying or Terminating (because the screening process is terminated on the basis of the person’s responses).

A short questionnaire used to determine if a person meets the criteria to take part in a particular market research exercise. Someone who meets the criteria is said to screen in, while someone who does not is said to screen out. To minimise the risk of frustration amongst their panellists, many quantitative panel companies insist that screeners take less than two minutes to complete. Even if there is no firm time limit, it is good practice to think what questions you would ask to find out whether a person is suitable or not in two minutes.

Also known as Desk research. The collation and analysis of publicly available information such as previous research, the press, the internet, academic reports and statistics already in the public domain. Secondary research may be conducted as a precursor to Primary market research (which involves talking directly to a sample of the target population), or to augment it.

Semiotics refers to the analysis of signs and symbols in culture. The use of semiotics in advertising, product design, and branding can convey meaning to consumers, so tracking shifts in cultural trends and identifying relevant symbols a particular business could make use of is an important talking point within market research.

A type of semi-structured Projective technique in market research where respondents are shown the first part of a sentence (called a stem) and asked to complete it. The stem is typically quite short and open to completion in different ways, for example, “Shopping in a supermarket is…”. The results of sentence completion tests are generally easier to intepret than Word association tests because the responses tend to be more detailed, but as a technique, sentence completion tends to be more leading than word association.

A technique that applies natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to assess the emotional tone of customer feedback, reviews, or social media posts. It helps brands to understand public perceptions.

Testing in which participants are shown several products or concepts one after the other and asked to comment on each one individually (as opposed to comparing them to each other). In sequential monadic testing the order of presentation is typically randomised to avoid  ‘order bias’.

Research conducted with participants who have just had an experience with a given brand, for example they are leaving a particular shop (in which case the interview is a form of Exit interview).

A form of interpreting where the interpreter listens to what is being said on headset and speaks a translation at the same time (usually while sitting in a separate booth or room), usually for the benefit of observers, who may also wear headsets. Simultaneous interpreting is what you see taking place in big international meetings, such as those at the United Nations and the European Commission. It is also used for larger focus groups where Consecutive interpreting would affect the flow of the discussion.

Social media can be an excellent resource for researchers looking to recruit real participants for a study. It can also be used to collect and analyse real-time, organic data on consumer behaviour or brand perception. A quick method of gaining perception on a particular topic could be to run a poll via a social media platform.

A method of classifying households or consumers from those households that is frequently used in market research as a proxy for social class or spending power. Most socio economic classifications are country specific. The standard classification in the UK is the National Readership Survey (NRS) social grades (A, B, C1, C2, D and E), which are based on the occupation of the head of the household. In other countries socio economic classifications may be based on type of home and ownership of consumer durables.

Also known as Unprompted recall. A popular type of question in market research where respondents are asked to name all of the brands or product names that come to mind when they think of a particular category (e.g. when you think about teabags, which brands come to mind?). It is quite common for a survey to include a spontaneous recall question followed by a Prompted recall question (e.g. which of the following brands of teabag are you familiar with?).

If the difference between two statistical measures is large enough to be unlikely to have occurred as a result of chance or sampling error, then the difference is considered to be statistically significant. A significance level of 5% is often chosen, i.e. if the probability of the result occurring due to chance or sampling error is less than 5%, the result is considered to be statistically significant. See also Hypothesis testing.

In the context of market research, stimuli are auditory, visual, or physical components of a research session that are used to evoke a reaction out of participants. The benefits of including a stimulus include making a session engaging, for example providing a tangible mock-up of a new packaging design mirrors the real-life situation of viewing the packing in a physical store.

A form of Probability sampling in which the population is broken up into mutually exclusive sub-populations (strata), e.g. by age, income level or ethnicity, and then a random sample is selected from each stratum. This method helps ensure that smaller sub-populations are represented in the final sample in a way which might not occur with other forms of Probability sampling.

A street survey is a term for face-to-face market research conducted in public spaces. An interviewer will engage a member of the public in a questionnaire to understand their in-the-moment opinions or perceptions on a specific topic. Some forms of street surveys include Intercepts and Vox pops.

In market research, a structured question provides a participant with a limited set of answers in which to choose from. It is most often used within quantitative research to gather easily digestible, standard responses. A common example of a structured question is the multiple choice question.

A syndicated study involves a research agency commissioning research that is beneficial for the wider research community. Not sponsored by a client, syndicated data is useful for benchmarking against industry standards and uncovering key growth opportunities.

Artificially generated data that mimics real-world data but is created using algorithms. It is used in market research to test models and scenarios while maintaining privacy and avoiding data sensitivity issues.

AI-generated virtual participants used in surveys and qualitative research. These respondents help supplement traditional research when human participants are unavailable, or privacy concerns arise.

Also known as Interval sampling. A form of Probability sampling in which every member of the population is allocated a number and the sample is compiled by selecting every ‘nth’ number. For example, to sample 500 patients who are registered with a medical practice that has 5000 patients in total, every tenth patient could be selected for research.

A target population is a group of participants that share similar demographics that a business may be aiming to attract. Often, a larger sample of participants is filtered down to find the target population most suitable for research on a specific topic. For example, if looking to conduct a survey on perceptions of the London rental market, a suitable target population would be those with London postcodes.

Technology market research revolves around new and emerging technologies, particular information technology. It can involve interviewing consumers on their perceptions of new technology, user testing new apps or services, all the way up to interviewing policymakers who influence the way in which technology and technology firms regulated. FieldworkHub specialises in technology research, and has sucessfully completed hundreds of technology projects, on topics such as virtual reality headsets, mobile apps, online advertising, social media, B2B software and public policy topics.

A qualitative in-depth interview conducted remotely. It may be conducted by telephone but strictly speaking, any form of remote depth interview (e.g. an online video interview) is also a tele-depth interview since the word “tele” is derived from the Greek for “far”.

Close an interview or screening process, typically by Disqualifying a prospective participant from further consideration during screening. Also referred to as Screening out.

Within the context of market research, this relates to the examining of text written by or about customers with the aim of locating sentiment, issues and opportunities that may not be picked up by other forms of monitoring or research. This is often assisted by text analysis software which helps segment the data and identify any patterns that exist.

A summary report from a market research study, containing key findings and recommended actions. A topline report does not provide detailed data nor explain methodologies but is an appropriate option for clients needing to understand the key conclusions without point-by-point explanation. See also Full report.

FieldworkHub has extensive experience in delivering market research on topics relating to transport and logistics. Transport research can involve collectng data from consumers who engage with transport and logistics companies and from B2B profiles who work within the sector. Our past experience in this area includes depth interviews with people who have experienced harassment while travelling on UK trains, an online bulletin board about public transport in Germany, ethnographic research on personal mobility in the UAE, on site interviews with shipping and logistics companies in Turkey and video interviews with fleet managers in the UK.

Travel, tourism and recreation market research is a topic that FieldworkHub is very familiar with, and we have previously conducted research on a wide range of topics in this sector such as hotels, air travel, experiences of applying for visas and travel insurance. We also cover consumer research on luxury travel, sports and music.

The practice of identifying and evaluating emerging patterns in consumer behaviour, market dynamics, or industry developments to anticipate future shifts and opportunities. This is often carried out by carrying out research on a regular basis with similar research questions each time.

A group discussion involving three respondents.

Also known (somewhat confusingly) as a One-way mirror. In a Viewing facility, a window that separates the client viewing area from the respondents’ area. From the respondents’ side the window looks like a mirror, but from the client side it looks like a piece of tinted glass, allowing the client representatives to see the respondents.

Sample described as unbiased means choosing participants based on chance through a larger group, rather than being specifically chosen by a researcher. This is created through simple random sampling, where every person in the population has an equal chance of being selected to become part of the sample.

Also know as Spontaneous recall. A type of question in which respondents are asked to name all the brands or products that they can think of in a particular category (e.g. what brands of smartphone can you name?).

Also known as an Open-ended question or just an Open question. In quantitative research, questions that the respondents answer in their own words rather than selecting from pre-defined answers. In qualitative research, questions that encourage participants to be elaborative in their response (e.g. questions that begin What? Where? Why? How?). Open-ended questions can provide more qualitative information than closed questions but a survey with too many open-ended questions can tire respondents.

A market research technique in which respondents/participants are asked to perform a task or a series of tasks while being recorded or observed by a researcher with the aim of finding out where they encounter difficulties or experience confusion. Online retailers and service providers frequently conduct usability testing to test how easy their websites are to use.

A survey designed to identify how often consumers are buying a particular product or brand versus competing products or brands and what they feel about a particular product or brand compared to its competitors. Often used as part of Product positioning research.

The study of how users interact with a product, service, or website to improve usability, functionality, and overall customer satisfaction. UX research includes usability testing, eye-tracking, and A/B testing.

The experiences that a person has when using or interacting with a particular product or service. Often used in relation to software applications or websites – for example the experience of using an e-commerce site. By mapping the user journey and identifying problem areas, website and application designers aim to improve the user’s  experience.

Validity is a term in market research referring to how accurately a methodology measures the intended objective. When research is conducted with validity in mind, it ensures the results are truthful and result in more well-informed business strategy. Poor validity results in misleading data that can lead to incorrect conclusions.

A verbatim is a ‘word-for-word’ comment or response from a participant in a market research study. In quantitative research surveys, verbatim refers to the responses given to open-ended questions. The verbatim is then broken down using the process of coding, which allows clients to track clear patterns of responses. In qualitative research, a verbatim transcript records everything that the respondent says, including hesitations and grammatical errors. A variation of verbatim transcripts is ‘intelligent verbatim’ where hesitations (e.g. ‘ums’ and ‘ers’ in English) are ignored and minor mistakes in grammar corrected to create a transcript which flows more smoothly.

A type of unmoderated qualitative research in which participants respond to a series of questions or instructions by making a short video (usually on their smartphone) giving their answer. These videos are then uploaded for the client or moderator to review.

A venue designed specifically for hosting qualitative market research sessions. It will be equipped with audio and video recording and streaming facilities. A ‘direct viewing’ facility enables the clients to watch the research taking place from a viewing area which is separated from the respondents’ area by a One-way mirror. Alternatively, a viewing facility may have a CCTV arrangement so observers can watch the proceedings on a TV screen in a different room to the Respondent room.

Vox pops are short, spontaneous interviews with individuals (usually members of the public) which are usually recorded and aim to capture a diverse range of views on a topic in a manner which is engaging and relatable. The terms derives from the Latin vox populi, meaning “voice of the people” and is used in broadcasting as well as in market research.

Adjusting the value of the responses to a survey from over- or under-represented segments so that the final results are in proportion to those expected from the target population.

A Projective technique in which a researcher asks respondents what words they associate with particular products or brands.

Visual representation of the words associated with a brand or object. These words are in various sizes and are displayed in a cluster. The size of the word demonstrates how frequently the words have been mentioned.

Data that consumers voluntarily provide to brands, such as survey responses, preference settings, and direct feedback. This contrasts with first-party data (collected through customer interactions) and third-party data (obtained from external sources).