Often issues are too complex, open-ended or subtle to be sounded by a questionnaire. In other instances, we cannot be sure that the respondents will reply. In such cases, a qualitative approach is often preferable to a questionnaire. We will make sure that the right methodology is used for the right purpose.
Expertly moderated discussions with a structured sample of 6 to 10. Works best with adults. Perfect for exploring in depth and generating creative ideas. Can lead to fantastic insights.
A mix between a normal interview and a focus group, these smaller research cells are ideal for children and young people. Like Focus Groups, participants can be asked to react to or provide their own ‘stimulus material’.
Ideal for combining qualitative information with quantitative data if you call enough people. Discreet. Quick. And good for researching less committed respondents such as non-joiners. Our telephone interviewers all have children at independent schools and have worked in independent schools.
This is the most time-consuming approach, but the best if you need to spend a long time exploring a complex topic and if the issues are sensitive or personal. Expert interviews tend to be done this way, of course, but we also use this with parents sometimes.
How do your competitors treat prospective parents and is there anything you can learn from them to improve your ability to recruit parents? There is no substitute for gaining first-hand experience from a potential parent’s perspective. This is where our mystery shopping exercise can help you.
Occasionally we have the opportunity to use this method. It starts with one-to-interviews with experts, the findings of which are then circulated to the same experts for further feedback and discussion. We have used this when conducting studies of a school’s local environment.