The Need for Research
This blog was originally published as a LinkedIn article in July 2023. Since then AI has exploded in almost every industry bringing new ways of working and researching. Even so, there remains a strong case for contextual research rooted in human-centered design to help solve our biggest challenges.
We live in a data driven world. We can track our workouts, airline miles, purchases - we can even track our sleep! Our browser histories are online trails of interests. Streaming services know exactly what to offer us next. And social media has become the new consummate salesman.
But does this mass of data really capture who we are?
Quantitative, [think: quantity or numerical], research allows us to answer numerical questions about the past. How many people purchased toilet paper on Amazon at 2 in the morning? How many people follow your company on LinkedIn? We can capture or infer demographic information: how many of those LinkedIn followers live in your city? How many of those toilet paper purchasers also bought diapers? But the numbers won’t tell the whole story.
The past or the future?
Our clients are planning for what comes next. Understanding the history of our evolution is invaluable, but it doesn’t help us prepare for shifts in mindsets and culture. Consider the idea of a “workplace.” For generations, children have watched their parents get up and go to work. Now, that can easily mean watching them go to the dining room table and put on a headset. How does this new “workplace” change the way we prepare the next generation for career success?
Can Big Data do it all?
For many decisions made by leaders, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Qualitative [think: quality or value] research helps us answer more human questions. Qualitative research is often under-prioritized. We get it, good research requires time and resources. It saves more than it costs by eliminating wasted efforts toward work that customers don’t value. It has the added benefit of creating common understanding within an organization to help teams move in the same direction.
So why contextual research?
Practicing research “on location” creates proximity. Research methods rooted in anthropology help teams get to the heart of the matter by exploring a person's surroundings and how they make meaning. Given that everything is already tracked and quantified, people are looking to qualitative methods for authentic interactions that rise above the algorithm.
So who is really doing this?
An example of the use of qualitative methods in business is user experience research (UX research). UX has been readily adopted by the tech industry - and we’re so glad! When done well, UX helps companies create more inclusive, human-centered products. UX researchers pay attention to what creates a meaningful experience for the customer. Despite strides taken in UX, qualitative research has had a slower uptick with purpose-driven organizations.
This is why Quire exists! We saw a need to bring human-centered practices and qualitative research to purpose-driven organizations. Our research helps organizations understand how they can serve their clients best. We do this by studying clients in their contexts. We listen closely to their expressed challenges, aspirations, and desires. Based on this research, we help organizations and leaders make data-driven decisions so they can continue transforming their corners of the world.
