Qualitative Research
Chapter 6
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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
• Not measurements, but WORDS!
• Seeking rich data, nuances
– Avoids reductionism, generalizations
– Instead of asking how many times someone purchased
an item, you ask "WHY...?"
– Typically the samples are small, and not "random"
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General approaches
• Case Studies
• Individual Interviews
– Experience Surveys
– Depth Interviews
• Structured or nonstructured
– Protocol Analysis
– Projective Techniques
• Group Interviews
– Focus Groups
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Case Studies
• Assess experience for another in
situation similar to you
• Provides rich data
– Can observe all variables interacting w/each
other
• Idiosyncracies of their situation may
mislead
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Individual Interview Methods
Depth Interviews
Unstructured, semi-structured, or structured one-on-one
interview
Protocol Analysis
Verbalization of decision process
Projective Techniques
Techniques for penetrating a person’s defense
mechanisms
A basis for gathering more revealing information
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Projective Techniques
• Techniques that encourage respondents
to project (or transfer) their feelings
– To another person
– To another situation
• Facilitate deeper examination of feelings
and motives
• Help to overcome embarrassment,
shyness, minimize deception
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Projective Techniques: Rationale for use
1. Thoughts have emotional and subconscious
content.
2. The emotional and subconscious content is
important in buying and usage decisions.
3. This content is not well verbalized by the
respondent through direct communication.
4. This content is better verbalized through indirect
techniques.
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Projective Techniques: Methods
• Word Association
• Sentence Completion
• Thematic apperception: Elicits perceived
themes.
– Explain picture
– Picture frustration: Cartoon/balloon Test
– Construction techniques: draw pictures, make collages,
write stories, etc.
• Role-playing Activity
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Picture Test
• Also called Thematic
apperception.
• Subject writes a story
describing picture (20
min).
• May report verbally
instead.
• What’s happening?
• Why?
• What are the person’s
feelings?
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A Cartoon Test
Sears
Let’s see if we
can pick up
some
housewares at
Sears
?
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Qualitative Methods
• Advantages
–
–
–
–
Greater depth
People's own words
Immediate feedback
Insights can come from participants
• Limitations
–
–
–
–
Lots of data
Hard to "code"
Not enough people to generalize
Idiosyncracies of a few people may mislead
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The Focus Group
• Method:
– Moderated discussion group
– 6 to 12 participants
– Approx. 90 minutes
• Goals:
– to understand what people have to say, get people to
talk in detail, develop a synergistic discussion
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Focus Group Preparation
• Select a relatively homogenous group (relative to
your topic)
– Hold several to hear from differing groups
• Develop protocol in advance
– Consider appropriate progression, probes, topic coverage, wording
issues, length
• Assure comfort, appropriateness of selected
location
• Offer refreshments, compensation
• Determine method of record keeping
– Gain agreement with participants
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Focus Group Process
• State ground rules
– No side conversations, honest discussion, respect others’ opinions
• Establish rapport
– Make all comfortable
– Facilitate easy first interaction
• Approach broad topic area
– Use probes as needed
• Focus in on your specific question
– Use probes as needed
• Summarize and wrap-up
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Moderator tips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Prepare in advance
Develop rapport
Remain flexible
Seek equal opportunity
Don’t judge/evaluate/correct
Listen (don’t talk too much)
Cover all your key topics
Keep them on track
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Focus Group Data Analysis
• Transcribe focus group session
– Word for word transcription (best approach)
• All that was said
• Significant facial expressions, gestures
• Long pauses, silences
– Summary (when resources/time is limited)
• Must listen/view group several times to assure appropriate emphasis
on important issues
• May summarize some portions, transcribe others word for word
• Code findings
– Look for “themes” or topics that emerge.
– Apply a code each time the identified topics come up.
• Develop conclusions
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Use of Focus Groups
Buick division of General Motors used focus groups to help
develop the Regal. Buick held 20 focus groups across the
country to determine what features customers wanted in a
car. The focus groups told GM they wanted a stylish car,
legitimate back seat, at least 20 miles per gallon, and 0 to 60
miles per hour acceleration in 11 seconds or less.
VO
Y K 7 49
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Based on the results, Buick engineers created clay
models of the car and mock-ups of the interior.
These were shown to other focus groups. The
respondents did not like the oversized bumpers and
the severe slope of the hood, but liked the four-disc
brakes and independent suspension.
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Focus groups also helped refine the advertising campaign for
the Regal. Participants were asked which competing cars
most resembled Buick in image and features. The answer was
Oldsmobile, a sister GM division. In an effort to differentiate
the two, Buick was repositioned above Oldsmobile by
focusing on comfort and luxury features.
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The tag line for the 1998 Regal, “official car of the
Supercharged family,” was based on focus group findings.
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Limitations of Focus Groups
• Rests on reflective thinking
• Not representative or generalizable
• Subjective interpretations
• High cost per participant
• Potential demand effects
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The End
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