What is qualitative research?

Qualitative research is a type of research that focuses on gathering non-quantifiable data, such as verbal expressions and observable behaviors of individuals, as well as the subjective perceptions and impressions of researchers. Its primary objective is to gain deeper insights into underlying reasons and motivations, aiming to answer the question of “why?” This approach enables the identification of both explicit needs and the exploration of hidden or latent needs, thereby enhancing understanding of consumers.

Example of a Deep Dive

Regarding airbags
Q. Why are airbags important to you?
A. Because it offers more safety in the event of a collision.
Q. What if collisions were safe?
A. Then I could drive with peace of mind.
Q. Why does safety provide peace of mind while driving?
A. I usually drive with my family, so I want them to be safe.

Develop the most effective promotions for target segments.

By repeating this “why” process as described above, the benefits the airbag supplies to the target audience can be highlighted.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Qualitative Research

Advantages

Qualitative research offers the opportunity to capture specific responses from participants that may not be attainable through quantitative surveys. In essence, it provides a higher probability of generating fresh and practical insights from the research findings. When careful selection of subjects is coupled with well-prepared researchers possessing strong analytical and perceptive abilities, conducting qualitative research can yield highly valuable data.

Disadvantages

Due to the relatively limited amount of data, qualitative research is often subjective in nature, and the findings cannot be considered representative of global trends. Quantitative research is necessary to validate trends and obtain broader perspectives.

How to Use Qualitative Research

Know Your Users

When developing a new service or product, it is recommended to conduct user surveys to identify existing needs in daily life and determine the acceptance of potential products or services. However, it is common for companies to insist they know their users because they believe their qualitative surveys and collected user data to be sufficient. However, it is important to recognize that user data can be categorized into three types, or hierarchies, and relying solely on quantitative data alone is insufficient to gain a comprehensive understanding of them.

User Data

• Attributes/Segments
• Conduct and context (Contextual surveys and behavioral observations required)
• Values and insights (Deep surveys, hypotheses, etc.)

Of the above, the second and third categories can only be gathered through qualitative research.

The User’s Values

“Why does the user do it that way?” If you think about it, every action, no matter how trivial, is driven by an individual’s own rationale or set of values. By delving into the underlying significance of everyday actions and statements, we can uncover vital solutions for our services and products. Understanding people, their thoughts, and psychology is crucial for successful product development and targeting. This is where qualitative research comes into play.

Examples of Effective Use of Qualitative Research

Narrow down core targets and explore needs

Context

You have generated multiple target hypotheses through desk research, but you have yet to pinpoint your primary target.

Group interviews can be conducted with multiple groups to identify the core target audience for the company’s brand. This information can then be used to uncover what truly resonates with the core target audience.

Explore true product use and preference

Context

You want to gain insights into the daily usage and benefits of both your own products and your competitors’ products.

As part of the preliminary step, we sometimes kindly ask participants to bring photos showcasing their product usage on the day of the group-in. This allows us to examine real-life usage patterns and preferences with a clearer recollection, as well as explore innovative ways to utilize the product.

The growing importance of qualitative research

From Mass Marketing to One to One Marketing

The current situation is that setting a large group of people as your target does not guarantee successful product sales. Therefore, the approach has shifted to focus on understanding individuals on a comprehensive and profound basis. By doing so, we aim to develop products that will resonate strongly with each individual and have a significant impact on sales.

As a result, qualitative research has gained significant importance and is now being conducted by numerous companies.

The saying goes that if you can sell one person, you can sell a hundred people. The key lies in being selective and focused in your approach.