In product management, research is not only a tool but a guide to understanding customer needs, aligning with organisational values, and achieving desired impacts.
At its core, we have two methodologies: qualitative and quantitative research. Each serves a unique purpose, employs different techniques, and yields varied insights, yet together, they form an approach that enriches our understanding and decision-making processes.
Understanding qualitative research
"Qualitative research is about exploring the scope and depth of phenomena, capturing the richness of people's experiences and emotions."
Qualitative research delves into human behaviour's 'how' and 'why’, offering a narrative understanding of attitudes, feelings, and experiences. It is characterised by its flexibility and depth, focusing on understanding the complexity of social phenomena.
Techniques and Examples:
- Semi-structured Interviews: open-ended conversations that provide deep insights into the participant's perspectives. For example, interviewing users to understand their experiences with a mobile app.
- Focus Groups: group discussions that reveal the diversity of participant opinions and attitudes. An example could be a focus group discussing their preferences in online shopping platforms.
- Ethnographic Studies: observational research where the researcher immerses themselves in the participants' environment. For example, observing retail shopping behaviours in a store setting.
Exploring Quantitative Research
"Quantitative research quantifies the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics."
In contrast, quantitative research aims to quantify the extent of various phenomena, offering a statistical foundation to calculate trends, behaviours, and opinions. It is valued for its ability to provide measurable and comparable data that can be scaled and generalised.
Techniques and Examples
- Surveys and Questionnaires: structured tools with closed-ended questions designed to collect numerical data. An example is a survey measuring customer satisfaction levels on a scale of 1-10.
- Experiments: controlled studies that manipulate variables to determine cause-and-effect relationships. For instance, A/B testing different website layouts to see which performs better in terms of user engagement.
- Statistical Analysis: using mathematical models and techniques to analyse and interpret data. An example could be using regression analysis to predict customer buying behaviours based on demographic data.
The Synergy of Qualitative and Quantitative Research
Integrating qualitative and quantitative research methods provides a comprehensive view of the research subject. Qualitative research offers depth and context, revealing the nuances behind numbers, while quantitative research provides the breadth and generalisability needed to measure and predict trends.
Why the mix works so well
- Holistic Understanding: qualitative insights add texture and depth to quantitative findings, making the data more relatable and actionable.
- Informed Decision Making: the combination allows for more nuanced and informed decisions, as it captures both the magnitude of issues and the underlying reasons.
- Enhanced Validity: using both approaches can validate findings across different methods, improving the reliability and validity of the research.
Mixing qualitative and quantitative research in product management is key. Qualitative research opens up the field of inquiry, uncovering rich, detailed insights into customer behaviours and preferences.
Quantitative research then measures these insights, providing a solid foundation for strategic decision-making. Together, they form a robust framework for understanding the complex tapestry of consumer behaviour, ensuring that product strategies are both informed and impactful.
People often focus their research on a single method only. This limits the story the data is telling us.
To illustrate the importance of using mixed methods, let’s consider an example involving a mobile app that sees a decline in user engagement. If you would take a qualitative-only approach, you might gather rich insights into your users’ pain points by conducting a series of interviews. However, you don’t know if these issues reflect on your entire user base, as these individual experiences don’t paint a clear picture of the full scale of your problem or the demographics most affected.
On the other hand, if you only rely on qualitative data, you would gain a broad view of user engagement and understand exactly where it has dropped. This data, however, does not explain the underlying reasons that caused this decline.
By combining both research types, you can pinpoint the specific areas of your app and the affected user profiles, which will help you find the right users to interview and gather the nuanced reasons behind the decline in engagement.
Curious to learn more about mixed methods research? Then read the full article!
