Obama relied on a technique like N-of-8

I enjoyed re-reading the TIME Person of the Year issue recently.  And in doing so, uncovered another case study for our N-of-8 customer interaction tool.

"In early 2011, David Simas, a former registrar of deeds in Taunton, Mass., who had become a senior White House aide, switched on what might be called one of the largest listening posts in U.S. history. 

"For months on end, two or three nights a week, Simas and his team secretly gathered voters in rented rooms across the swing states, eight at a time [emphasis added]...poked at their guinea pigs’ animal spirits, asked for confessions and played word-association games. 

"Live feeds of the focus groups were shown on computer screens at campaign headquarters in Chicago."

Read more: http://poy.time.com/2012/12/19/person-of-the-year-barack-obama/#ixzz2Ujs54hC9

Advantage of teamwork in brand innovation

on Team Play

"Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds." 

-SEAL Team Saying

N-of-8 proven across the country and around the world

For years, I’ve traveled across the country and around the world giving talks, facilitating groups, running sales conferences, and moderating focus groups.   

And I’ve observed something quite powerful:   

You could have two teams, sitting side by side, in the exact same room, working on the same problem.  One team would instinctively apply these principles and rocket to successful solutions.  While the other team would realize very little.

That’s why it became obvious to me that I needed to diligently document these tools and consistently share them with my colleagues and my clients.  

So, I designed N-of-8.

Even though I might suggest that you “don’t believe a word I say” and want you to test these concepts out in your own environment, I will ask you to trust the process. 

If you want to move to a higher level of innovation, you have to be willing to let go of some old ways of thinking and adopt some new ones.  The results will ultimately speak for themselves.

N-of-8 groups using virtual facility: what I look for in project support

This is one last post about my feature in the May issue of QUIRK'S Market Research Review, a leading industry publication.

The article highlighted many examples of combining the high-touch of personal customer insights with the high-tech of virtual groups and online interviews.

The writer wanted to know why I’ve chosen Fieldwork Webwork to help facilitate these virtual groups.

The people and platform at Fieldwork Webwork allow me to do more research projects, get better results, and deliver deeper insights to my clients.

I can expand to national reach instead of just local.

I can do more interviews in Europe or Asia than if I had to travel.

Or I can bring together participants from literally all over the world for two hours – when it would inconceivable to schedule or budget that otherwise.

Thanks again to QUIRK'S for including me, and to people like Crystal at Fieldwork Webwork for supporting my projects.

N-of-8 groups online can have drawbacks to work around

I’ve been posting this week about my feature in the May issue of QUIRK'S Market Research Review, a leading industry publication.

The article highlighted many examples of combining the high-touch of personal customer insights with the high-tech of virtual groups and online interviews.

In addition to the positive aspects that were included in the article, I was also ask my perspective on any downsides.

There have been two drawbacks that have required me to devise creative solutions to work around.

1. Creating group rapport if the technology has glitches. It can be potentially distracting if people are too focused on their web connection or hearing the other participants.
2. Creating composite brand stories from multiple elements. The “slide sorter” can work, but it’s not the same as boards, Velcro, or cut-and-paste exercises.

Thanks again to QUIRK'S for including me, and to Crystal at Fieldwork Webwork for arranging it.

And I’m reminded to thank colleagues like Cindy, Melanie, Eva, and Anita who have helped improve the workability of this kind of innovation.

N-of-8 groups we could not accomplish without web-cams

As I mentioned yesterday, I was featured in the May issue of QUIRK'S Market Research Review, a leading industry publication.

The article highlighted many examples of combining the high-touch of personal customer insights with the high-tech of virtual groups and online interviews.

In addition to the example that was included in the article, I also shared two other groups we could not have accomplished without web-cams:

1. A half-day advisory board with thought-leaders from around the country. Several of the physicians told us they no longer travel for these kinds of groups. It takes too much time away from their practices or teaching responsibilities – especially for a relatively short working session. Instead, we used the webcam platform so the doctors in 6 different cities could participate right from their offices.
2. Focus groups among patients with a rare medical condition. Because the number of patients was limited, and their condition makes travel difficult, we used webcams to create a series of focus groups from patients’ homes. It was especially emotional when some participants told us it was the first time they had met someone else with their condition.

Thanks again to QUIRK'S for including me, and to my friends at Fieldwork Webwork for arranging it.

And especially thanks to the clients who take a chance with this kind of innovation.

N-of-8 with virtual platform featured in QUIRKS journal

I was featured in the May issue of QUIRKS Market Research Review, a leading industry publication.

The article was about combining the high-touch of personal customer insights with the high-tech of virtual groups and online interviews.

Specifically, I shared my experience with our N-of-8 focus group of hospital laboratory directors in 8 markets. We wanted to have focus groups to compare experiences, but could not have facilitated a group in any one city due to the competitive nature of the hospital labs. The webcams allowed us to have face-to-face interactions with a national sample.

Thanks to QUIRKS for including me, and to my friends at Fieldwork Webwork for arranging it.

N-of-8® resource: “The Mirrored Window,” by Judith Langer

I’ve been facilitating a lot of N-of-8® groups latterly, as well as updating the use of this valuable insight tool.  

This has led me back to review some good resources, including “The Mirrored Window,” by Judith Langer.   

Langer draws insights from her experience and expertise to clearly explain the role of focus groups in the overall marketing process. It is a comprehensive how-to guide wherein Langer shares case studies filled with tips and tricks on effective moderation of focus groups.

In this book, Judith Langer explains why focus groups are an important method for learning about your customers and how to effectively conduct focus groups. If you’re involved with focus groups in any way, look no further for expert advice. Whether you are using focus groups for the first time or looking for ways to make your focus groups more productive, “The Mirrored Window” offers practical advice from an expert moderator.

Qualitative research, Langer explains, is more than just words. It is about listening to the non-verbal cues such as body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to put context to the words. To illicit the best responses, creating an environment of comfort starts from the first interaction with the respondents during recruitment. The room should be tailored to suit the tone of discussion, so in some cases a living room style is appropriate whereas in some cases a conference room style is more suitable.

The moderator’s discussion guide is a critical tool for focus groups. Guides should be written as a conversational flowchart and not as a script. The moderator should be allowed to decide when to probe based on the dynamic of the respondents and flow of discussion. An experienced moderator is also prepared to handle rogue focus groups, when discussions go out of control. Langer suggests ways to deal with such situations in a professional manner to bring the group together again and refocus on the topic of discussion. 

In the book, Langer shares actual phrases and signals you can use to keep a focus group on track; how to get the focus group talking, how to ask focus group questions without biasing responses, how to control group dynamics, when to probe and when to use a firm hand.  In a full chapter dedicated to writing useful reports on focus group research, she shares sound advice about how to present qualitative analyses and strategic implications. 

Overall, the book is a great how-to guide for anyone planning qualitative research using focus groups. Langer shares a broad range of tips and tricks from her own experiences and includes a couple case studies as well. “The Mirrored Window” is a good read for anyone aspiring to be a moderator or learning to engage in market research.