George Kuhn’s Post

Ill-conceived, under-resourced qualitative work exposes strategy failures. You’ve seen the TORs: “Seeking individual consultant to run survey, FGDs, and KIIs across 5 provinces and 10 districts. Must compare men’s and women’s perceptions. One month. $8,000 budget.” This is a technical and strategic red flag, revealing gaps in methodological chops and the organization's strategy and impact agenda. After all, TORs are strategy artifacts; they encode priorities, expertise, and maturity. Let’s focus on the qualitative components. Everyone says they want to understand lived experience, but useful FGDs and KIIs demand appropriate samples, staff, time, skill, and disciplined analysis. Saturation Qualitative work is about saturation—the point where new data adds no new insight. There’s debate about “how many is enough,” but a meta review (Hennink & Kaiser 2022) and complementary studies (Guest et al. 2006) suggest most reach saturation within 4–8 focus groups and 9–24 interviews, with the upper end suited for more heterogeneous populations. Of course, sample size isn't fixed, but these ranges align with what I’ve seen across dozens of contexts. The example TOR also seeks to compare men and women, requiring saturation for each group—so eight FGDs total, likely more given the geographic spread. Staffing A single consultant can’t effectively manage an FGD. That requirement alone signals misalignment. FGDs require a facilitator and at least one note-taker (two is better!). The facilitator leads; note-takers ensure complete records, critical when transcription budgets are limited. Rough timeline for FGDs & KIIs From setup to travel to session, plan ≈ 4 hours per FGD/KII. Eight FGDs (4 women, 4 men) would therefore take four days, if all goes well. A single KII in each of the 10 districts (more would likely be needed) could add ≈5 days. That’s 9 days to conduct FGDs and KIIs. This doesn’t account for the survey—not to mention tool design and testing, team training, analysis and reporting, or space for feedback. The month-long timeline won't work. Why this is a strategic issue A TOR might seem technocratic, but it indicates how an organization values evidence, learns, and defines credibility. When parameters are unrealistic, it shows that the strategy-to-operations bridge has collapsed (or perhaps was never built). Most social impact organizations run multiple interventions, each with its own evaluation budget. If they under-scope on each one, they waste lots of money. And worse: they’re basing decisions on bad data. Garbage in, garbage out. That faint whoosh you hear? Staff time and budget disappearing into a black hole. That gurgle? The organization’s strategy circling the drain. In a context of shrinking funds, withering trust, and growing competition, fit-for-purpose evidence has never been more important. Strategic organizations value and use evidence. Smart TORs help them get there. #Evaluation #QualitativeMethods #StrategyAndImpact

ASK LESS. KNOW MORE. Get Extra Value from Your In-House Surveys Through Data Enrichment geoTribes Segments deliver detailed respondent profiles without extending questionnaire length. Post-fieldwork enrichment through the Quick Append portal provides comprehensive insight into motivations, lifestyles and values, eliminating the trade-off between survey length and analytical depth. MINIMAL DATA COLLECTION, MAXIMUM INSIGHT Simply collect suburb, postcode, dwelling type and age band during fieldwork, then drag and drop to the Quick Append portal. In under 5 minutes, you'll receive segments back in .SAV and .TXT formats ready for Q, SPSS and popular BI software. FOUR KEY BENFITS The segment tags unlock: ● Extended context on respondents' motivations, lifestyles and values through 700+ validated profiling variables accessible on-demand. ● Consistent lens for comparing findings across multiple studies, enabling pattern recognition and strategic insights. ● Direct paths to media activation, so survey findings can support retail strategies and media activation. ● Market sizing capabilities for robust business case development and opportunity quantification. AI-POWERED INTELLIGENCE LAYER You can use our geoTribes Intelligence MCP to create calibrated agents that combine your survey findings with our comprehensive human insights profiling data, supporting path-to-purchase simulation, message testing, competitive response modelling and price sensitivity analysis without additional fieldwork. KEEP SURVEY LEAN Enrichment happens post-fieldwork, avoiding dropout rates from lengthy profiling sections. Example: Your brand health tracker remains 10 minutes, yet you can answer "What else motivates these respondents?" or "How do we reach them?" without additional research. Leading insights departments across Australia use geoTribes. From $1,000 per project. No PII required. Visit geoTribes.com or find out more here > https://lnkd.in/eYSedwP6 #marketresearch #customerinsights #datascience #insights #marketing

ASK LESS. KNOW MORE. Get Extra Value from Your In-House Surveys Through Data Enrichment geoTribes Segments deliver detailed respondent profiles without extending questionnaire length. Post-fieldwork enrichment through the Quick Append portal provides comprehensive insight into motivations, lifestyles and values, eliminating the trade-off between survey length and analytical depth. MINIMAL DATA COLLECTION, MAXIMUM INSIGHT Simply collect suburb, postcode, dwelling type and age band during fieldwork, then drag and drop to the Quick Append portal. In under 5 minutes, you'll receive segments back in .SAV and .TXT formats ready for Q, SPSS and popular BI software. FOUR KEY BENFITS The segment tags unlock: ● Extended context on respondents' motivations, lifestyles and values through 700+ validated profiling variables accessible on-demand. ● Consistent lens for comparing findings across multiple studies, enabling pattern recognition and strategic insights. ● Direct paths to media activation, so survey findings can support retail strategies and media activation. ● Market sizing capabilities for robust business case development and opportunity quantification. AI-POWERED INTELLIGENCE LAYER You can use our geoTribes Intelligence MCP to create calibrated agents that combine your survey findings with our comprehensive human insights profiling data, supporting path-to-purchase simulation, message testing, competitive response modelling and price sensitivity analysis without additional fieldwork. KEEP SURVEY LEAN Enrichment happens post-fieldwork, avoiding dropout rates from lengthy profiling sections. Example: Your brand health tracker remains 10 minutes, yet you can answer "What else motivates these respondents?" or "How do we reach them?" without additional research. Leading insights departments across Australia use geoTribes. From $1,000 per project. No PII required. Visit geoTribes.com or find out more here > https://lnkd.in/eZSmf9VB #marketresearch #customerinsights #datascience #insights #marketing

Surveys are one of the most widely used research tools, but not all surveys produce insights you can act on. If questions are biased, scales are inconsistent, or the wrong people are surveyed, the results can be misleading. That means wasted budgets and misguided business decisions. Here’s how to design surveys that work: ⚖️ Ask unbiased questions. Avoid wording that pushes respondents toward a particular answer. For example, “How satisfied are you with our excellent service?” already suggests a positive response. A neutral phrasing gives clearer data. 📋 Be consistent with answer scales. If one question uses a 1–5 scale and another uses “Strongly disagree–Strongly agree,” comparisons become harder. A uniform structure ensures accuracy across results. 🎯 Target the right respondents. Insights are only as good as the people providing them. Make sure your survey sample reflects your actual consumer base, not just whoever is easiest to reach. At DataSense, our survey design ensures brands receive reliable, unbiased intelligence that turns responses into real strategy. 💻 Visit our website to learn how we design surveys that uncover what your consumers truly think. #ResearchInAction #SurveyDesign #ConsumerInsights #MarketResearch #BrandStrategy #DataSense #BehindTheResearch #DataSenseMethods #HowWeResearch #Quantitative&Qualitative #SurveyDesign #SensoryStudies #MarketTesting #ResearchProcess #ConsumerResearch101 #InsightExecution

ASK LESS. KNOW MORE. Get Extra Value from Your In-House Surveys Through Data Enrichment geoTribes Segments deliver detailed respondent profiles without extending questionnaire length. Post-fieldwork enrichment through the Quick Append portal provides comprehensive insight into motivations, lifestyles and values, eliminating the trade-off between survey length and analytical depth. MINIMAL DATA COLLECTION, MAXIMUM INSIGHT Simply collect suburb, postcode, dwelling type and age band during fieldwork, then drag and drop to the Quick Append portal. In under 5 minutes, you'll receive segments back in .SAV and .TXT formats ready for Q, SPSS and popular BI software. FOUR KEY BENFITS The segment tags unlock: ● Extended context on respondents' motivations, lifestyles and values through 700+ validated profiling variables accessible on-demand. ● Consistent lens for comparing findings across multiple studies, enabling pattern recognition and strategic insights. ● Direct paths to media activation, so survey findings can support retail strategies and media activation. ● Market sizing capabilities for robust business case development and opportunity quantification. AI-POWERED INTELLIGENCE LAYER You can use our geoTribes Intelligence MCP to create calibrated agents that combine your survey findings with our comprehensive human insights profiling data, supporting path-to-purchase simulation, message testing, competitive response modelling and price sensitivity analysis without additional fieldwork. KEEP SURVEY LEAN Enrichment happens post-fieldwork, avoiding dropout rates from lengthy profiling sections. Example: Your brand health tracker remains 10 minutes, yet you can answer "What else motivates these respondents?" or "How do we reach them?" without additional research. Leading insights departments across Australia use geoTribes. From $1,000 per project. No PII required. Visit geoTribes.com or find out more here > https://lnkd.in/eZSmf9VB #marketresearch  #customerinsights  #datascience  #insights  #marketing

ASK LESS. KNOW MORE. Get Extra Value from Your In-House Surveys Through Data Enrichment geoTribes Segments deliver detailed respondent profiles without extending questionnaire length. Post-fieldwork enrichment through the Quick Append portal provides comprehensive insight into motivations, lifestyles and values, eliminating the trade-off between survey length and analytical depth. MINIMAL DATA COLLECTION, MAXIMUM INSIGHT Simply collect suburb, postcode, dwelling type and age band during fieldwork, then drag and drop to the Quick Append portal. In under 5 minutes, you'll receive segments back in .SAV and .TXT formats ready for Q, SPSS and popular BI software. FOUR KEY BENFITS The segment tags unlock: ● Extended context on respondents' motivations, lifestyles and values through 700+ validated profiling variables accessible on-demand. ● Consistent lens for comparing findings across multiple studies, enabling pattern recognition and strategic insights. ● Direct paths to media activation, so survey findings can support retail strategies and media activation. ● Market sizing capabilities for robust business case development and opportunity quantification. AI-POWERED INTELLIGENCE LAYER You can use our geoTribes Intelligence MCP to create calibrated agents that combine your survey findings with our comprehensive human insights profiling data, supporting path-to-purchase simulation, message testing, competitive response modelling and price sensitivity analysis without additional fieldwork. KEEP SURVEY LEAN Enrichment happens post-fieldwork, avoiding dropout rates from lengthy profiling sections. Example: Your brand health tracker remains 10 minutes, yet you can answer "What else motivates these respondents?" or "How do we reach them?" without additional research. Leading insights departments across Australia use geoTribes. From $1,000 per project. No PII required. Visit geoTribes.com or find out more here > https://lnkd.in/eYSedwP6 #marketresearch  #customerinsights  #datascience  #insights  #marketing

Step 1: Run a survey with your target audience Step 2: Pick which respondents you want to do in-depth interviews with Step 3: Run interviews and dig in on their answers Benefits: First you can uncover the "what" and then dig into the "why".

⚠️ Your survey results might be lying to you. Here’s why… We all know surveys are crucial for understanding customers, employees, and markets. But even the best survey can fail if the questions themselves are biased. One poorly worded question can skew your data, mislead decisions, and waste months of effort. So how do you make sure your surveys reflect reality and not what the survey wants to hear? Here are some practical strategies: 1️⃣ Use neutral language – Avoid loaded words or phrases that push respondents toward an answer. A simple “How satisfied are you with our service?” beats “How amazing was our service?” every time. 2️⃣ Split double-barreled questions – Asking about two things at once confuses people. “How satisfied are you with our support and product?” → Break it into two separate questions. 3️⃣ Balance answer choices – Uneven scales or missing options can distort results. Always include neutral or “Not applicable” choices. 4️⃣ Pilot test your survey – Test it with a small group to catch confusing or leading questions before it goes live. 5️⃣ Be inclusive and culturally aware – Avoid assumptions about gender, age, or lifestyle. Inclusive options build trust and encourage honest responses. 6️⃣ Minimize social pressure – Anonymity and neutral phrasing help people answer honestly instead of what they think is “right.” The key takeaway? Your survey questions shape your answers. Small adjustments in wording, scale, and structure can dramatically improve data quality. Next time you create a survey, pause and ask yourself: Are my questions truly unbiased, or am I accidentally leading my audience? 💡 Accurate data starts with fair questions. Don’t let bias sabotage your insights. #SurveyTips #DataDriven #CustomerFeedback #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessInsights #MarketResearch

Most teams spend hours perfecting a survey, the logic, the design, the scales, but the thing that actually drives completion is often the simplest: reminders. A short breakdown on why timing and channel matter more than people think, and how a good reminder strategy can lift response rates (and sample quality) by a margin. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gEhzhT5N What’s inside: • Why 2–3 reminders is usually the sweet spot • How “late responders” change the shape of your dataset • Why channel choice (email vs SMS vs push) actually matters • Real-world example from Pew’s American Trends Panel If you care about data quality, don’t just plan when the survey launches...plan when you nudge. #marketresearch #insights #surveys #researchdesign

Is your survey trying to do too much? When teams pack multiple goals into one survey, it can confuse respondents and compromise data quality. People may rush through questions or lose focus, leaving you with results that are hard to interpret. ✅Instead, align your survey to one primary research objective. If you have additional goals, consider whether they fit naturally or deserve their own survey. 📊 Focused surveys lead to thoughtful responses and clearer insights. This advice comes from our experts at Kantar Profiles, who share monthly tips to help researchers design smarter, more effective surveys. Want more survey design tips? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e3gCyyRU