Case for greater analysis

Researchers often find one (just one?) major bugbear with clients. The research goes swimmingly, but when it comes down to qualitative analysis and interpretation, you won't see most clients for dust. To them, attendances are key.

It was a topic tackled with vigour by David Corr of One World Research and Communications, and consultant Carole Taylor at this year's MRS Conference.

The hope they expressed was that their paper should provide the catalyst for further work, allowing them both to systemise the process, to maketraining more effective, and to make available new ways of approaching analysis and interpretations for even widely experienced researchers.

Their first proposal was to split analysis and interpretation into three discrete levels, procedural being the first, conceptual models the second, and process patterns the third.

Level one is a fairly mechanical process, reading transcripts and listening to tapes. Level two, the conceptual level is at the heart of qualitative market research, while level three is possibly the one with the most potential for development.