Tech to the rescue? How technology impacted qualitative research during Covid-19

In the run-up to our Qual360 conference we have spoken to our presenters about their past year, hopes for the future – and of course how the Covid-19 crisis has impacted their work.

One common theme is that technology has helped researchers to continue fieldwork in a remote environment, and that the crisis has accelerated the speed of change – but is not revolutionizing the industry. Opinions differ however in how deep the impact of technology on qualitative research is and some also emphasize that true human connections are more important than ever.

“It’s possible that the availability of technology saved the industry from ruin” Jonathan Grove, Nationwide

According to Jonathan, it’s possible that the availability of technology saved the industry from ruin, since without remote research tools it would have been impossible to execute fieldwork safely. “I suspect that remote research will now become the dominant method of collecting data and that we’ll see the emergence of tools and services that exploit the potential of remote work in new and exciting ways. AI will, I think, be a large part of this story.”

“Emerging technologies are going to radically change the day-to-day work of qualitative researchers. We need to understand the opportunities ahead and prepare a generation of researchers for this shift.” adds Jonathan Grove, Director of Product Design at Nationwide Insurance. 

Alex Duckett, Account Director at Affectiva agrees, saying that “the pandemic has resulted in a great deal of introspection and re-appraisal of existing methods, particularly around the role that technology can play. As ever though, the focus needs to be on technology that actually delivers incremental value, as opposed to just the novelty factor.”

 On the client side, it is interesting to see that there is a lot of enthusiasm and willingness to experiment with new technologies, though at times certain industries are slow to catch up. Kelsy Saulsbury, Sr. Manager, Strategic Insights & Analytics, Johnson & Johnson Vision points out that she is excited about the amazing new options and offerings from both start-ups and existing players that are pushing forward in enabling insights gathered via technology. “However, working in the Med Tech space I do see a lag in new offerings being ready for application to smaller and more specific populations” says Saulsbury.

 “What defines an excellent research project still holds true” George Zhang, Course Hero 

Course Hero’s Director of UX Research, George Zhang shares this excitement and notes that the industry is evolving rapidly in terms of the investigation of user problems, for example through VR based research and ride-along ethnography as well as the presentation of insights to stakeholders. Evolving technologies are not only impacting research but user behaviour patterns too. With all the focus on technology, Zhang advises that “what defines an excellent research project still holds true over technology changes, for example the types of impact, the rigor of methodology, and the quality of cross-functional collaboration.”

Microsoft’s Travis Lowdermilk also points out: “If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that the need for true, human, connection is more essential than ever. Organizations are seeking to connect with their customers in meaningful ways, learn from them, and anticipate their needs for a future that is far from certain.”

In conclusion, technology has been a great help for the industry when it came to quickly adjusting to the Covid-19 crisis and contact restrictions. There is also an increased enthusiasm towards new technologies since the forced change has shifted mind-sets and lead to a more open embracing of new solutions. However, it is essential to remember that (qualitative) market research is about humans, behaviours and opinions. As such, a focus on people and methodological rigour is as important as ever.

Qual360 2021 features a number of sessions that are addressing the “new normal”. Visit na.qual360.com for a full overview of the panel discussions, keynotes and case studies on offer. All sessions will be streamed live on June 16&17 and will be available on-demand after the conference.