Methods of Information Gathering

An observational method involves collecting data by directly watching or monitoring a situation or behaviour.
This method can prove highly beneficial when studying consumer behaviour and interactions, or the usage of products/services.
This approach offers genuine, uninfluenced data as participants generally are not aware they are being observed, thereby maintaining their natural behaviour.
Examples of this method include mystery shopping, traffic counts, or tracking user interactions on a website.
However, the data collected here is often qualitative, requiring interpretation and potentially leading to bias.

Surveys and Questionnaires allow businesses to gather a significant amount of data from many participants in a structured manner.
They can be distributed through various channels including online platforms, postal mail, or in-person.
Questions should be carefully structured to avoid leading the respondent, and can be designed to gather both qualitative and quantitative data.
The method is cost-effective especially when online, but the response rate could be low unless incentivised.

Interviews provide more in-depth data and allow for a comprehensive understanding of a respondents’ attitudes, motivations, and feelings.
They can be structured (set questions), semi-structured (flexible with set topics), or unstructured (very open ended).
This method, while time-consuming and costly, allows for more flexibility and depth of understanding, shedding light on complex issues.
However, the data is highly qualitative, interpreting it can be challenging and subjective.

Focus groups involve a moderated discussion with a small group of people, typically 6-10 participants.
This method is used to explore a certain topic in-depth or to test the reaction to new ideas or products before a wider roll-out.
It provides qualitative data and insights into customer attitudes and perceptions.
However, the process can be skewed by the dynamics within the group, or by a strong personality dominating the conversation.

Experimental research includes methods such as field trials or A/B testing.
The aim is to establish cause-effect relationships, particularly useful for new product development or advertising techniques.
The approach requires a control group and one or more experimental groups.
This method can be complex, costly, and time intensive. However, it provides strong evidence for cause-and-effect relationships.