Agenda
Exploratory Research
–Qualitative vs quantitative
–Projective techniques
–Focus groups
Narrowing down your topic
•
Area of Interest
EXPLORATORY
RESEARCH
Research Questions
Research Objectives
Exploratory research and
qualitative analysis

From total ambiguity to not
quite total ambiguity
Exploratory research
Initial research conducted to clarify
and define the nature of a problem
 often a first and preliminary step
 may be a single investigation or a
series of informal studies
 may be a single technique or a
combination of techniques
 almost always qualitative

Definitions

Quantitative: studies that use
mathematical analysis that can
reveal statistically significant
differences

Qualitative: research data not subject
to quantification
Qualitative versus Quantitative
Types of
questions
Sample size
probing
small
Information
much
per subject
administration interviewer special skills
Type of
Subjective
analysis
interpretive
Limited
probing
large
varies
Fewer special
skills required
Statistical
summarization
Qualitative versus Quantitative
Hardware
Ability to
replicate
Type of
research
Tape
recorders,
video,
pictures,
discussion
guides
low
Questionnaire,
computers,
printouts
exploratory
Descriptive or
causal
high
Qualitative




Advantages
Limitations
cheaper
 does not
distinguish small
can help identify
differences
small problems
with significant
 not necessarily
impact
representative of
population
motivations/
 very dependent
feelings
upon
skill
of
improve efficiency
researcher
of quantitative
Why conduct exploratory
research
Diagnosis
 screening alternatives
 discovering new ideas

I wonder...
Types

Secondary Research
Depth Interviews
 Focus groups

Projective
techniques
Projective techniques
Indirect means of questioning that
enables a respondent to “project”
beliefs and feelings onto a third
person, onto an inanimate object or
into a task situation
 assumes that people are reluctant,
unaware or unable to relate their true
experiences, perceptions or beliefs

“A man is least himself when he talks
in his own person; when given a mask
he will tell the truth.”
--Oscar Wilde
Common types

Word association
– subject is presented with a list of words,
one at a time, and asked to respond
with the first word that comes to mind.

Sentence/story completion
– respondent completes a sentence or
story with the first word or phrase that
comes to mind.
Word Association Examples

CHEESE

Kraft
 Cheddar
 Goat
Sentence Completion
People who drink beer are ______________________
A man who drinks light beer is ___________________
Imported beer is most liked by ___________________
A woman will drink beer when____________________
Common types

Third person techniques
– subject is asked why a third person
behaves in a certain fashion or what
s/he thinks about a particular
event/object/activity
– role playing: the acting out of third
person’s behaviour
Common types

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
– A series of pictures are shown to
subject who is then asked to provide a
description of the pictures.
– Cartoon completion tests
– Photo sorts

Consumer drawings
Focus groups
A group interview
Focus Groups Defined
Focus groups had their beginnings in group
therapy used by physicians. Today, a focus
group consists of 8 to 12 participants led by
a moderator in an in-depth discussion on
one particular topic or concept.
Most frequently used to conduct
exploratory research
 May also be used after a survey or
quantitative study to clarify findings

– Quantitative research tends to be long
on what and short on why
Types of Focus Groups
Exploratory
Focus groups that
aid in the precise
definition of the
problem, in pilot
testing, or in
generating
hypotheses for
testing or
concepts for
further research
Clinical
Experiencing
Focus groups
that explore
subconscious
motivation
Focus groups that
enable a client
to observe and
listen to how
consumers think
and feel about
products and
services
Steps in Conducting a Focus
Group
Prepare for the Group:
Select a focus group
facility and recruit
the participants
Select a Moderator:
Create a
discussion guide
Prepare the Focus
Group Report
Conduct the Group
Focus Groups: Key Terms

Focus Group Facility
– Facility consisting of conference or
living room setting and a separate
observation room. Facility also has
audiovisual recording equipment.
– Not all focus groups are conducted in
this contrived setting.
Focus Groups: Key Terms

Focus Groups Composition
– The ideal size is 6-10 participants.
– Homogenous groups seem to work best

Focus Groups Moderator
– The person hired by the client to lead
the focus group. This person may need
a background in psychology, sociology,
or marketing.
Focus Groups: Key Terms

Discussion Guide
– A written outline of topics to cover
during a focus group discussion.
– Contains prefatory remarks to inform
the group about he nature of the focus
group and an outline of
topics/questions to be addressed
Advantages- the 10 S’s
synergism
 serendipity
 snowballing
 stimulation
 security

spontaneity
 specialization
 scrutiny
 structure
 speed

Disadvantages of Focus Groups
The immediacy and apparent
understandability of focus group
findings can mislead instead of
inform.
 Focus group recruiting is a problem
if the type of person recruited
responds differently to the issues
being discussed than other target
segments.


“Moderator style” may contribute to
respondent bias.

Respondents can be a problem if
they are overly introverted (and do
not speak) or are overly dominating
(and try to sway the discussion). This
can also lead to a halo effect
Trends in Focus Groups

Telephone Focus Groups
– Focus groups that are conducted via
conference calling.

Two-Way Focus Groups
– A target focus group observes another
focus group, and then discussed what it
learned through observing.

Nominal Grouping Session
– Qualitative research method in which
consumers, brought together in small
groups, independently generate ideas
about a subject and then discuss the
ideas.

Internet based focus groups
– what are some advantages and
disadvantages