How can you choose the right scale for your market research project?

Beyond all what this AI-written article suggests, the most critical consideration when choosing the right scales for a research study is - The Respondent People from different cultures respond to scales differently. Markets like Philippines tend to gravitate towards the top half of the scale while the Scandinavians don't usually use the top quarter. My team ran innovation studies for a beverage brand for many years globally. Our studies in Philippines consistently reported 90%+ Top2Box scores on Purchase intention. In other words, 9+ out of 10 Filipinos said that they will buy all newly launched products from this popular company. In reality, the best product had 2 in 10 buying it (in Y1). So be careful on scale usage disparities

The research objective is a crucial component of any market research project. It defines the purpose and goals of the research & guides the entire research process. State the problem and define the scope clearly. our research objective should be specific and measurable. Determine the target audience. Think about the research methods and data collection techniques that will be most suitable for achieving your objective. Different objectives may require different research methodologies, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, or data analysis. A well-defined research objective provides a roadmap for your research project. The research objective should be revisited and refined as needed as the project progresses and as new insights emerge.

The type of question you use in your market research survey is a critical factor in determining the right scale. Different question types lend themselves to specific scales that are most appropriate for gathering the desired data. For example: For Closed-ended questions, respondents predetermined response options to choose from. for this Likert scale, multiple choice scale, semantic differential scale, and bipolar scale can be used. An open-ended question might be followed by a Likert scale asking for a rating related to the given response. Multi-select questions permit respondents to choose multiple response options from a list. The scale used here can vary but often includes a simple binary scale (e.g., Yes/No).

The response format in your market research survey refers to the way in which respondents provide their answers or feedback. Major factors influencing the response are Single Response vs. Multiple Responses, Numeric vs. Textual Responses, Numeric vs. Textual Responses, Visual vs. Textual Scales, and Open-Ended vs. Closed-Ended. Ultimately, the choice of response format should reflect the research objectives, the specific information you want to gather, and the preferences of your target audience.

It outlines how you intend to analyze the data you collect to derive meaningful insights and draw conclusions. The Key considerations for creating an effective data analysis plan are 1. Research Objectives and Hypothese 2. Data Types and Scales 3. Statistical Methods 4. Sample Size and Power Analysis 5. Data Visualization 6. Hypothesis Testing 7. Reporting and Interpretation A well-developed data analysis plan is crucial for ensuring that your research objectives are met, and that you can derive meaningful insights from the collected data. It also helps maintain transparency and consistency in the analysis process. Be prepared to adapt your plan as needed based on the actual data collected and any unexpected findings.

Before setting out on a research initiative, it is important to consider the degree of confidence that is required at the end of the project. If a high degree of confidence is needed, then the scale of your data sources will need to increase to ensure that adequate responses are captured.