Stakeholders value numbers over insights in your OR project. How do you ensure qualitative feedback is heard?

It's important to recognize that organizations have a quant bias, partly because numbers more easily hide the purpose of capitalism, which is the extraction of surplus value. A good example is this question, which offers me no compensation. Good qual research can trouble the status quo, just like this answer does.

This very much depends on the context but qualitative outputs can illuminate and explain statistics through the use of quotes, it can also be used as a theoretical framework to understand behavioural processes in an organisation like what factors contribute to employee morale.

To ensure qualitative feedback is valued when stakeholders focus on numbers: Present insights alongside data with clear, actionable examples. Show how qualitative feedback provides context and depth to the numbers. Use case studies or real-world impacts to illustrate its relevance. Emphasize how combining qualitative and quantitative data leads to more informed decisions and better project outcomes.

Present qualitative feedback alongside relevant metrics, highlighting its impact on overall results. Use visual aids to correlate insights with data trends, and demonstrate how qualitative input enhances understanding of user needs and improves project outcomes, ensuring it’s valued and integrated.

1. Stakeholders Interest: Quantitative Feedback. 2. Goal: Stakeholders Qualitative Interest Feedback. 3. Solution(s): A.) Short video clips w/ shareable URL Links. B.) Video presentations of qualitative abstractions. C.) Abstractions correlated w/ Numeric Data. D.) Original video content describing insights. E.) Abstractions = Qualitative Insights. F.) Increasing awareness of qualitative insights. G.) Post video links to relevant Stakeholders.

Even when we present quantitative findings, it is not just numbers. We are telling the story of the data to the stakeholders, and qualitative data greatly enriches that story. A hard-hitting quote can really drive a number home.

In addition, I would say, be straightforward what you want to say. Meaning keep the communication coherent and fluent. That would create transparency and trust.

Show the value of centering qualitative insights and storytelling before you begin designing an evaluation. You can do this by doing a practice sensemaking workshop using an example where you have access to both numerical and qualitative data. Create 3 breakout rooms (qualitative, quantitative, both types) and ask partners to spend a few minutes developing a narrative. Ask each group to pose and answer evaluation questions using their assigned data and then report back. The group with both sets of data should be able to tell the most compelling story capturing context, nuance, patterns and breadth. This exercise helps partners understand the role and value of qualitative insights, and why they should plan to use them from start to finish.

Acknowledge that your stakeholders have deep knowledge in their areas of expertise. Share that "correlation does not imply causation" meaning even where the numbers seem to speak the truth, qualitative data adds context and depth to the numbers, revealing the "why" behind the "what." Feedback from customers such as " Voice of the Customer can uncover hidden variables, motivations, and sentiments that are not immediately apparent in quantitative data alone. In summary, educating stakeholders that they can get a balanced and holistic perspective when quantitative data that is contextually relevant with qualitative insights are analyzed together.

Buy-in is so important. Me and my client are always 100/100 on our vision, as they say about a partnership. We have equal veto power, define our strengths and weaknesses early in the project, and lean into what we do best.

Buy-in is so important. Me and my clients are always 100/100 on our vision, we’re in a partnership. It’s so important that we have equal veto power, define our strengths and weaknesses early in the project, and lean into what we do best.