In market research, it’s tempting to consider the methodology before the objectives. I can’t count the number of times a client - either internal or external - has come to me saying ‘I need to do some focus groups’ or ‘I think I need a MaxDiff’.

In my head, I always have the same response...slow down.

In practice, my response is to ask my client one or more of the following...

What’s the question you’re trying to answer?

At the end of day, what do you want to be able to say?

Do you need a precise answer, or just a sense of which way to go?

It’s amazing how many times ‘I need a focus group’ turns into a survey, or ‘I need a survey’ turns into something more qualitative.

The approach can seem like the exciting stuff and, don’t get me wrong, it’s an exciting time for market research methodologies. But backing up and carefully reviewing what the ultimate goal of the research effort is provides the solid basis for the rest of the project.

I’ve found that discussions about objectives help the entire team get on the same page and clearly understand the direction we’re all headed. And it demonstrates to your client that you’re invested in the work, an expert in what you do, and a strong partner for this and future projects.