Asynchronous Qualitative Research tools as an alternative to User Interviews and Focus Groups
The digital transformation of UX and Market Research: asynchronous qualitative research tools
Hybrid work have not only changed how we live and work, they have changed how Qualitative Researchers do Market Research and UX Designers do UX research. Our world has contracted significantly, fundamentally changing every industry from wellness to entertainment to work to shopping to health.
Our reliance on technology and our move towards all things digital was apparent long before the COVID induced Digital Transformation took hold. But digital transformation has, without a doubt pushed us online, even more, accelerating the change and transforming industries.
In recent years, Online Qualitative Research and Mobile Ethnography ( what is Mobile Ethnography ? ) have transformed UX and Market research. They are genuine digital alternatives to traditional IDIs / User Interviews and Focus Groups. Whereas pre-covid they were perceived as elective alternatives to user interviews, with hybrid work they are now essential tools for those looking to generate insights for clients remotely.
Working with our partners across the globe we can clearly see a shift in attitude towards Mobile Ethnography as an alternative to traditional qualitative research methods. Adoption has become more widespread across multiple use cases such as Qualitative / Market Research, Design / Experience Research and Healthcare Research.
In this short post, we explain how asynchronous online qualitative research methodologies such as Mobile Ethnography and Diary Studies can not only represent a compelling alternative to traditional research but can also add a layer of contextual feedback that transforms your understanding.
We will also explain how Online Qualitative Research Platforms offer access to brand new insights previously not available to researchers.
Asynchronous qualitative research as an alternative to Focus Groups and In-depth Interviews
The post COVID digital transformation has resulted in researchers transitioning to digital-first research approaches and to tools such as Zoom as a means to survive the seismic shift in their worlds (inability to conduct in-person research).
But as we adjust to the *new normal* the challenges of online synchronous research are becoming all too apparent.
Poor internet connections
Scheduling issues
Limited time to properly understand your research participant
Lack of the ability to connect on a human level
It is a single context research method
You have to rely on claimed behaviours
These constraints make online interviews via Zoom and Google Meet, as well as Focus Groups poor substitutes for the in-person approaches.
To compensate for these missing elements, many researchers we have spoken to over the last few weeks have already evolved their remote qualitative research to include an asynchronous qualitative research component.
There are multiple methodologies available to make this transition:
Mobile Ethnography
Asynchronous qualitative research is a longitudinal approach. Unlike traditional methodologies, respondents can answer questions and respond to probes in their own time. The research is normally carried out over 5 or more days allowing for a more colorful, and authentic insight. Asynchronous research still allows you to gather over 2 hours of feedback from respondents but instead of giving you a limited two-hour window, the longitudinal approach gives you daily insight over a number of days capturing the moments that truly matter in real-time.
Benefits of asynchronous qualitative research compared to research interviews
All responses are recorded “in the moment”, eliminating post rationalization.
With Indeemo’s mobile qualitative research app respondents can record their videos or upload notes or images in real-time, ensuring all their uploads are truly contextual and in-the-moment.
The mobile-first approach fully reduces observer or group bias
Mobile qualitative research allows for no other human influence. As the observer or other participants are not in the same room, the participant is not exposed to any external influences that might affect their thoughts or behaviors or the honesty of his or her responses.
The extended time frame also allows moderators to note patterns and to observe spontaneous behaviors.
The methodology allows capturing patterns and spontaneous behavior even the respondents are not fully aware of. For example, a participant might unconsciously pick up a snack with their morning takeaway coffee. As an unconscious action, this is not something they would ever share in a focus group but observed through their daily responses shows a clear behavioral pattern.
This allows you to get away from claimed behavior that people might see in a group and to observe actual real behavior experiencing the moment rather than relying solely on the respondents' recall of events.
Finally, the rich visual media gathered (in the guise of pictures, and videos) can help you to quickly spot patterns across many respondents or to understand the visual identity of a brand.
The Indeemo Pinterest style dashboard and keyword cloud tools allow to quickly point out visual and word patterns. From the language participants use to describe an experience to what elements draw them in - the dashboard allows researchers to quickly gather actionable insight. ( For example, every respondent who visited a certain clothing store was most drawn to the orange display, most associated with the brand colors )
Doing remote at-home research with consumers and users
Over the past few months our “at home” lives and daily lives have merged. We now work, study, or even educate our children from our living room. Our homes have become high-end restaurants, workplaces, studies, cinemas, and party venues, as well as places we shop from.
With many countries still in lockdown face-to-face research has migrated online.
Researchers we speak to argue that an asynchronous approach as offered via a mobile ethnographic video diary study approach not only supplements their research but also offers access to invaluable insights previously not available. After all, mobile ethnography offers unparalleled access to respondents in their homes offering a periscope as to how they act.
The feedback gathered using mobile ethnography is authentic and more contextual than feedback gathered via traditional methods relying on recall.
By removing the observer, respondents can share their insights comfortably without any outside influences allowing for an extremely authentic insight which can be particularly useful for a range of use cases from health care research to finance to sensitive topics.
Additionally, pioneering technologies like Indeemo’s mobile or computer screen recording capabilities allow researchers to follow the respondent’s online activities providing unparalleled access to their journeys.
Why you should consider asynchronous qualitative research methods
Synchronous research approaches such as video interviews and Zoom based focus groups might be a great way of doing research remotely, but certainly don’t give you the full picture.
The asynchronous research approach described above helps to explore the hypothesis before it can be explained during an online Zoom Focus Group or interview. It is also a fantastic way to explore online qualitative research and to learn to work with this methodology.
Talking to our clients we can see just how powerful pre-tasking can be. Moving away from the short insight window to an asynchronous approach has proved extremely successful in many projects.
Mobile ethnography, diary studies and pre-tasking are not only substituting synchronous qualitative research but also supercharging online Focus groups and online in-depth interviews.
With this approach, there is no need to rely on recall or trying to visualize the respondent’s online behavior. The rich, visual recording supported by images and notes brings the online journey to life allowing for immediate, actionable insights free of post rationalization or bias.
Get in touch with our strategists and learn how you can add mobile ethnography to your online research toolkit!
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