Running a research project

A guide to effective briefing and tendering in market and public opinion research

When running a research project, pay particular attention to how it is set up. Whatever is left unclear in the brief is hard to change later, for instance once fieldwork is under way.

A few collected tips for preparing a research project well

• If the project calls for anything extra, it has to be part of the brief.
• It is worth telling agency partners about internal limits and particulars that may affect the preparatory phase, the fieldwork and the presentation of the results.
• An open dialogue is the basis of success. If you keep something important from the agency partners, it can harm the way the project is run.

Questions you may want to ask at the start of your co-operation with an agency

Data processing, analysis and interpretation

• What processes does the agency use to process data? What controls are in place to check the accuracy and quality of processing?
• What types of analysis does the agency offer, and how is the data reported?
• In what form will the client receive the processed data?
• Does the agency offer a presentation of the findings, in what form does it take place, and is it included in the quoted price or charged separately?

Fieldwork

• What sampling approach does the agency recommend?
• Does the agency run its own fieldwork, or is it subcontracted?
• Face-to-face interviewing – the interviewer network:
  • Does the agency have a network of qualified or specialised interviewers?
  • How does the agency train its interviewer network?
  • How is the quality of fieldwork checked?
• Quantitative online research
  • Does the agency meet the rules for running an online panel?
• Telephone interviewing
  • How is the call centre run, and what procedures are used for selecting respondents and checking quality?
• Qualitative research
  • How are respondents recruited for group discussions and in-depth interviews?
  • How does the agency make sure that “professional respondents” do not take part in group discussions?
• Does the agency offer special rooms or facilities (a call centre, special technology for advertising testing, a virtual store and so on)?
• Are the agency’s processes regularly reviewed by independent experts?
• Is the agency prepared to offer an independent audit or check of interviewers in the field?

Other

• How are contracts signed and services invoiced, and what approaches to budget management does the agency offer?