Qualitative research

Qualitative research is used for deep revealing all the emotions, attitudes and expectations that actually bring researcher close to complete understanding the consumers’ behavior.
Qualitative research objectives:

• Study of peculiarities of consumers’ perception of different goods and services and also expectations from category/brand/product/service;
• In-depth study of consumers’ motivation, that influence on consumer behavior and also barriers and stereotypes connected with a brand /category/product and its consumption;
• Study of consumer behavior, consumption habits;
• Study of positioning of good and service;
• Study of the companies/brands image in the eyes of consumers, its emotional and rational advantages, values and profits;
• Ideas generation;
• Working out and testing of packing, name, advertising concept and ad-reel, definition of informational barriers that  influence perception of advertisement materials (social stereotypes and aims, cultural and sub-cultural myths and prejudices, peculiarities of shape and color perception etc.);
• Basic overviews of the market;
• Definition of “consumer's dictionary” for further usage during the communication process.
  
  
  

UMG QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS

GROUP METHODS (methods using work in groups)

Focus group interviews (FGI)
It is discussion of prescribed topic in group of 8-10 specially selected people lead by moderator. Moderator sets the question and ensures everybody to express his opinion without pressure and makes people keep to the same topic. This is comfortable type of research because conditions for spontaneous and equal in rights conversation are set. Discussion is video recorded. For the convenience of our Client, UMG records FGIs on DVD. Clients can watch FGI from observation room with help of one-way mirror and video connection. Duration of usual discussion is approximately 2.5 hours.

Nominal groups
This method is used in cases when it is necessary to clarify and compare individual opinions to come to the solution that is not possible individually. Each member of the group is questioned individually and answers/ideas of every member of the “group” are delivered to other members.
Nominal groups are used in following cases:

• When it is impossible to gather the whole group in one time in the same place. It happens quite often when members are specialists of one specific sphere, for example scientist, top-managers etc.
• When there are managers and employees or children and parents in one group, or if the group contains personality that is considered to be an expert on discussed questions (when it is impossible to avoid influence of one or several leaders).

Peer-groups (mini-groups)
It’s a transitional method from individual interview to group one. It gives opportunity to obtain more detailed information from every member. Is used when it is difficult to gather full FGI and when deep understanding of respondents’ behavior is necessary.  Usually such group consists of 4-6 respondents.

Conflict groups
Method directed to information collection from the conflict of opposite opinions of members. There is no principle of homogeneity during the participants' selection. Usually consist of 6-10 people. It is used for comparing different lifestyles, opinions, views, creation of new ideas. It is often used for political researches.

Creative groups
This is a group discussion of executed projective tasks under the moderators’ governing. Usually consists of 6-8 respondents. Sphere of implementation: new brand’s launch, brand’s repositioning, advertisement strategy choice, advertisement materials creation.

Brainstorming
It’s one of the most effective methods of working out creative ideas and concepts. This is the method of group research that includes a set of psychological projective methods in order to stir creative thinking to activity. During the brainstorming participants start with idea generation then they discuss them, adding to, improving and developing them.

In-depth interview/ Diad / Triad
Half-standardized interview with one, rarely two-three respondents. Duration of one interview: 1 - 1.5 hours.
In –depth interviews are appropriate when:

• Topic of research touches privacy or may cause shyness (for example, women hygienic products usage, socially important issues – alcoholism, AIDS etc.)
• Opinions are too different, that breaks homogeneity of group
• Topic is about private decisions-making process
• Researched group of people represents the uncommon categories and there is no  possibility to get them together (for example, respondents are top-managers of big corporations)

Expert interview
Expert survey is the conversation on definite topic between trained specialist - moderator and respondent who is specialist – professional in surveyed area. In other words, it is in-depth interview with experts (politicians, scientists, journalists, managers etc.).

UMG INSTRUMENTS (METODOLOGIES AND TECHNICS)

Idea Generation® is a complex of brainstorming techniques. It is used for new brands launch during the reparation of their positioning and also for the repositioning of existing brands. Objectives:

• Understanding of in-depth images, insights and motives
• Obtaining the idea connected with the category (on several levels) for the further development of the products’ image and concept.

Sequential Recycling Lab is a methodology that helps to understand spheres of changes of concepts/concepts variants and improvements to the final test (usually quantitative). Sequential Recycling Lab – is used on the stage of concepts/variants of concepts creation by the client. 

Brand Vision & Nature – qualitative-quantitative methodology, designed for studying consumers’ attitude to brands. It is used for defining emotional image of a brand, testing of concepts and advertisement. Main purpose is a deep understanding of essence (key values) of a brand and brand personality. It is based on subconscious symbols and notion of projection, and excludes necessity to use words for depiction of thoughts and senses. For understanding different types of values and attitudes a set of specially selected standardized pictures is used. Pictures are carefully adapted to Ukrainian mentality.
Results can be used for:

• Brand’s communication strategy optimization
• Working out brand’s differentiation from the competitors
• Defining factors which caused changes in consumers’ brand perception

Universal needs® — qualitative-quantitative methodology, directed on defining the most significant, universal needs, linked with category/brand.
This methodology gives opportunity to:

• Make segmentation of consumers, based on their key needs and values
• Make competitor analysis — define, which market operator/brand satisfies this or that need more
• To find unsatisfied/partially satisfied needs for brand positioning and its position strengthening 
• To test new ideas, concepts – to learn which needs these concepts satisfy, if they are significant for consumers

Screen Lab — qualitative-quantitative methodology, which allows to get valid evaluation of tested material (ad-reels,  story-boards, concepts) together with deep understanding of consumers motivation. Researcher gets both qualitative and quantitative data during one session on the same sample of users.
Brand Navigation — is a set of qualitative methods for studying and understanding Brand Value. Helps to understand deeper consumer’s perception of concrete brands and market as a whole. 

Obtaining of detailed and deep information during qualitative researches is achieved with the aid of active usage of various projective techniques, which enables us not only to gain in-depth information but also to cheer the discussion.

UMG uses more than 20 different projective techniques during the conduction of the projects.

ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCTING OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCHES

TEAM
UMG® has a team of 7 professional moderators (both men and women). It allows us to conduct researches in different cities of Ukraine for different Clients simultaneously. All our people have 2-7 years experience of working in qualitative researches, that is no less important than theoretical knowledge. Department of qualitative researches has its own field department that is responsible for recruiting for FGIs, interview, home visits etc.

During the last 3 years department of qualitative researches has conducted:

• More than 1200 FGIs and peer-groups
• More than 1100 in-depth interviews
• More than 200 home visits
  
  
  

FACILITIES

In the central office of UMG there are 3 specially equipped premises for FGIs conducting with one-side mirror, video system, DVD-, video- and  audio- recording and simultaneous translation equipment.
Kiev (central/downtown location)

• 3 main rooms (25-30 sq. m.) fully equipped with stereo acoustic system. Rooms are sound and light isolated. The main room is equipped with computer projector



• 3 observation rooms (10-12 sq. m.) with one-way mirror, viewing facilities (video link), means of video-, audio- and DVD recording, simultaneous translation facilities, stereo sound system (both sound speakers and headphones), which gives the effect of “full presence”. Link with moderator is possible.

Other cities (located not far from city center)

• Main room (20-25 sq. m.)
• Observation room (8-15 sq. m.) equipped with video link and audio- / video- recording facilities.

NOVELTY!
You want to watch FGI without leaving your office? Now it is possible thanks to U-View system! At the beginning you get password to be used on our site where FGI is broadcasted in on-line regime.

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