Market research terminology—It’s not a foreign language!
Qualitative, focus group, simultaneous translation. What does it all mean? We speak the language of market research every day here at SRA, and we don’t want to leave anyone out. We’re going to become “jargon busters,” and explain in everyday business language what some of these technical terms mean.
Let’s start with qualitative research.
Qualitative research is usually defined as an unstructured exploration based on small samples. The emphasis is on words and feelings rather than numbers. In other words, the research focuses on the quality of the data rather than its quantity.
When management needs answers relating to motivation and emotions (brand images, brand personality, effectiveness of advertising), qualitative research is particularly useful.
Some qualitative research tools include focus groups and simultaneous translation.
A focus group (aka focus group interview or group discussion) is an informal discussion with a small number of qualified participants (usually 8-12) in the company of a skilled moderator who guides the discussion without influencing its outcome.
Simultaneous Translation – When focus groups are being conducted in a foreign language, having a translator available for those who speak a different language is of great value. ‡
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Just for fun, here are some humorous terms from the tech world:
House file hygiene – The practice of keeping your list of e-mail names and addresses “clean” so e-mails remain deliverable.
Mouse potato – The online version of a couch potato, as in, one who sits for an extended period of time in front of the computer screen just surfing around. Instead of using the thumb to press down on the remote control, the pointer finger is constantly called upon to "surf" from one "site" to another.
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