Qualitative Research Techniques
Qualitative Research Techniques
Below is a description of ten widely used qualitative research techniques. You can begin exploring some of our advanced qualitative customer experience research and observational methods here.
You can also learn more about what differentiates Whyze Group focus groups and in-depth interviews.
- Open Ended Questioning. The most widely used technique in conjunction with other approaches. Involves interviewers asking neutral questions thus avoiding leading (biasing) participants toward any particular answers.
- Metaphor. Participants assemble collages of images not directly related to the industry or product category. Discussion about the nature, placement and relationships between images reveal the constructs that customers use to distinguish and evaluate alternative brands, products and other customer experiences.
- Analogy. 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.
- Story Telling. Participants are asked to tell about their experience, from “beginning to end”. This is often used early during a qualitative research 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. The research moderator 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 that describe their reactions to a set of brands, products, concepts, 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 to participants. The moderator then asks participants to match photos with corresponding companies, brands, ads or concept statements and describe how 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.
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