Isn't it wonderful when a webinar sparks a meaningful conversation among colleagues? We recently experienced one such moment after watching the IDEA Council webinar on 'How to Address Race and Ethnicity in International Research.' During the discussion on balancing the need for quick data with the importance of understanding local context, Greg Stucky (CRO at InsightsNow) shared a thought-provoking insight: "There are things in life we shouldn't overlook, and one is how you make people feel [when participating in research]."
This prompted us to reflect on our approach to building discussion guides and surveys, considering what truly matters to us:
Purposeful Questioning: Are we clear on why we're asking specific questions? How will the information gathered shape our strategies and recommendations? Are we asking questions out of habit or with a genuine purpose?
Clear Framing: What is the frame of reference we are employing to ensure clarity and relevance? Specifically, have we framed our questions in a way that people can understand and simultaneously address the core of what the research objectives are focused on; this is key for deeper insights and a successful outcome.
Contextual Understanding: Are we capturing vital context that reveals nuances and instills confidence that the data reflects genuine human behavior? The pursuit of patterns should be rooted in a deep understanding of the context.
Adaptability: Are we open to adaptation as we learn? A willingness to evolve allows us to cross off certain questions and replace with new, more relevant areas to explore. This constant iteration and refinement facilitates broader and deeper insights gained during the research process – one of the superpowers of good qual!
Human-Centric Approach: Are we engaging with participants in a way that makes them feel respected and understood? This involves considering not only the content & tone of the questions but also the length of questioning, thus ensuring the human touch in our research interactions.
Maya Angelou's timeless quote serves as a guiding principle: "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." In the realm of research, recognizing and valuing the human experience is paramount, influencing the quality and impact of the insights we gather. At ContextualY, we seek to balance the art and science of crafting meaningful questions that reflect the human experience. Don't let your understanding be undermined by questionable questions!
Connect with us to consult on your central lines of questions... or to conduct a question audit.
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