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Qualitative Research Techniques
Brand choice is more motivated by what people perceive and feel than by what they think. Asking,
"What will make you buy?" produces answers biased by a desire to appear rationale--and lead
inexperienced users toward erroneous conclusions.
Whyze Group's techniques get research subjects to reveal insights into their true perceptions and
emotions. Whyze Group often uses combinations of elicitation techniques in qualitative studies.
Here are some examples:
- Open Ended Questioning. By far the most important and widely used technique used in
conjunction with all other elicitation approaches. Involves interviewers asking neutral questions
about topics but avoiding leading (biasing) participants toward any particular answers.
- Metaphor. Participants are asked to represent one thing in terms of another. Changing
participants' points of reference to an industry, product or customer experience often reveals
opportunities for innovation.
- Collage. Participant assembles a collage consisting of photos, words and drawings that
demonstrates her experience with a product or service. Discussion follows.
- Story Telling. Participants are asked to tell about their experience, from “beginning to end”. This
is often used early during an interview to surface key events, perceptions and emotions that are
most relevant to the participant.
- Story Completion. Participants are asked to project the end of the story, continuing a vignette
begun by the interviewer or the participant himself. This frequently surfaces moments of truth
about what improvements will significantly influence the customer experience and behavior.
- Laddering. Interviewer asks questions focused on exploring “why” participants perceive, feel
and act as they do. This line of questioning continues until root causes have been unearthed.
- Adjective Checklist. Participants choose from a comprehensive list of adjectives several that
describe their reactions to a brand, product, concept, advertisement or other stimuli. Discussion
follows about what adjectives were selected and why.
- Photo Sort. Portraits of people of different ethnicities, ages and socio-economic backgrounds
are presented on a large board to participants. Participants are asked to match photos with
corresponding companies, brands, ads or concept statements and describe why they made
these connections.
- Concept Sort. Participants are asked to rate and evaluate several different product concept
descriptions, then describe why they chose their favorites.
- Blind Preference. Participants, unaware of who is sponsoring the study, evaluate several
competitors’ offerings and discuss strengths and weaknesses of each.
- Role Play. Puts participants in alternative roles to surface ideas leading to significant
improvements.
For more information, please call us at (440) 987-0547 or (516) 987-0252.
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