goInnovate: How innovation & technology is shaping the future.

A conversation with a fellow MR "passionista"

After the Editor-in-Chief of GreenBook Blog Lenny Murphy visited our team at Gongos, he wanted to get a handle on our thoughts leading into IIR's Technology Driven Research Event in May. It's a great interview that touches on mobile research, social media, gaming and more. Here are a few questions Lenny posed:

• What do you think are the major drivers of change in the market research space right now and how is Gongos Research planning to take advantage of those trends?
• Gongos is one of the few MR firms that I know of that has a senior level role, plus the infrastructure to support them, dedicated to innovation. Why did the company choose to invest in innovation as a core strategy and why do you think the industry as a whole struggles with the concept of investing in innovation?
• Thinking ahead 2-3 years, what do you think the Market Research industry will look like? What type of companies will be successful, what capabilities will be needed, and what new types of companies will be a part of what we think of as MR?

If you're interested in reading the full GreenBook post, click the image below:

G(adget) Chat: Can the Corkulous app be used to create collages for a focus group setting?

While collage exercises used in qualitative research generally have consumers assembling cut-out images from say, a magazine, onto poster board before coming to a focus group, there are occasions when creating a collage is part of the focus group itself.  I’d like to explore how feasible it would be to apply technology to the in-group collage-building process.

Idea:
Replace the cardboard, glue stick and magazines with eight or so iPads, loading each with the Corkulous iPad app and a plethora of pre-selected stock images.

If you haven’t heard of this app, Corkulous is a digital collage board that allows users to collect, organize, and share ideas through notes, labels, photos and tasks.

 

Pros:

• Creating collages in the focus group setting eliminates the need for pre-group respondent homework.
• On-the-spot activity can get closer to revealing unconscious feelings about a product or brand. (Creating collages at home allows respondents time to get too “conscious” about the collage, altering their initial thoughts and opinions.)
• Using a pre-set pool of images can allow for measured comparisons and ensures that respondents’ image selections aren’t limited to what they find in the magazines they happen to grab
• Digitally “passing” collages to the moderator’s iPad allows the moderator to places collages “in the clients’ hands” in the back room
• Opens up the possibility for streamlined digital archiving for both moderator and client.

Cons:

• iPads are not cheap.
• Must take the time to train respondents on-site how to use both Corkulous and the multitouch interface to ensure efficient use of time in the group.
• Photo “thumbnails” are rather small on Corkulous compared to magazine pictures
• Corkulous doesn’t permit images to be rotated or enlarged, limiting how respondents can lay out their collage on-screen

So, can the Corkulous app be used to create collages for a focus group setting?

Eight Ball says:

Right now, the Corkulous iPad app is serviceable, but roadblocks must be overcome to be ideal for creating collages in a focus group setting. Testing may prove me wrong, but I'll go with...not yet.