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Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Softening borders between qual and quant
mrweb.com have a news item on TNSInsightTvLive (doesn't exactly roll off the tongue), described as "an interactive online platform which allows respondents to see a survey moderator via a real-time video link".
They then go on to say they've seen a number of similar "combinations of online surveys with qualitative input, the option for moderators to interject with on-the-hoof questions and simultaneous multimedia links" (links in the original mrweb.com post). At a pre-conference speakers meeting for the What Next For Online Research 2007 conference there were at least two papers that went into similar territory - a much closer co-operation between quant and qual researchers and techniques.
As it happens, Linden Lab, the owners of Second Life, have just announced upcoming support for in-world voice (for a summary see this comprehensive post on TechCrunch). This would make a virtual world, avatar-driven equivalent of the above research techniques a lot more realistic - I could see using quantitative data collection in the vein of one of my prototypes, together with more qual-type interaction through a human-driven, voice-enabled avatar offering a real but more affordable alternative.
In addition, especially for new product concepts, the 3D immersive qualities of a virtual world like Second Life will be able to offer not just visuals, but 3D representations that can be handled, worn (where appropriate), and with the required knowledge, even modified by survey (or focus group, or whatever we want to call this now) participants - thus potentially moving into co-creation.
They then go on to say they've seen a number of similar "combinations of online surveys with qualitative input, the option for moderators to interject with on-the-hoof questions and simultaneous multimedia links" (links in the original mrweb.com post). At a pre-conference speakers meeting for the What Next For Online Research 2007 conference there were at least two papers that went into similar territory - a much closer co-operation between quant and qual researchers and techniques.
As it happens, Linden Lab, the owners of Second Life, have just announced upcoming support for in-world voice (for a summary see this comprehensive post on TechCrunch). This would make a virtual world, avatar-driven equivalent of the above research techniques a lot more realistic - I could see using quantitative data collection in the vein of one of my prototypes, together with more qual-type interaction through a human-driven, voice-enabled avatar offering a real but more affordable alternative.
In addition, especially for new product concepts, the 3D immersive qualities of a virtual world like Second Life will be able to offer not just visuals, but 3D representations that can be handled, worn (where appropriate), and with the required knowledge, even modified by survey (or focus group, or whatever we want to call this now) participants - thus potentially moving into co-creation.
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