Offline Innovative Techniques
Ipsos Access Panels allow you to be imaginative in your survey design and employ innovative techniques to get the information you need.
A popular use is to ask panellists to complete diaries detailing their purchases, activities and/or thoughts over a defined period of time.
Alternatively, many clients use the Panel to carry out tracking studies – monitoring changes in attitudes or behaviour with the same group of panellists over time. This allows you to track key issues or to follow your marketplace following the launch of a new product or advertising campaign.
Innovative data collection approaches
Below we demonstrate our continued innovation and ability to harness technological developments to enhance data collection and to answer business issues with new routes.
SMS texting as a means of data collection
The high level of mobile phone ownership in many parts of the world, coupled with high levels of texting makes this an appropriate method in some circumstances. Most of the adult population now use SMS text messaging, with the majority carrying their phone around with them at all times. As a result they are able to receive and decide whether or not to respond to a message instantly. As with all market research, it is important that the questions make sense and that the response mechanism is straightforward.
There are some limitations in what can be asked via an SMS message. The size of the message itself is restricted and there are limitations on screen size, which effects what questions can be sent to a mobile phone and the replies that can be returned. That said, single and multi response questions can be asked, along with open-ended responses. Question filtering can also be applied based on previous responses.
While there are demographic biases in the use of SMS, these biases favour groups of the population that are normally less inclined to take part in market research. Notwithstanding this, our experience is that it is still possible to form reasonably nationally representative samples.
SMS texting as a prompt
SMS can be used to send invitations to and reminders for, more fulsome online surveys. Planning applications can be built, which in this case would ask panellists to enter their upcoming scheduled trips. Prompts are then sent inviting them for online interview shortly after the travel experience. We have used this method before utilising the calendar approach within Windows.
Use of PDA's
The use of PDA's allows for considerable flexibility and is of great convenience to the respondent. It provides for fast transmission of data both ways, in terms of distributing the questionnaire, which can be updated each day if necessary, and retrieving data. That said, the use of images is limited; there can be problems collecting open ended information, and there are larger set up and running costs than other data collection methods.
Digital pen
This allows for the electronic transfer of hand written data. Over laying pre-printed patterns on to a paper questionnaire renders the paper "intelligent". The pen then digitalizes the information written on the paper using pre-printed patterns. The information is then communicated for processing via standard digital means. Using this device questionnaires can be sent to travellers in advance for completion during or shortly after their travel experience. As a method it is highly convenient to respondents and there are no limitations on ad hoc questionnaires or open-ended questions. The approach does imply the need for paper and upfront timetabling is needed for surveys.
Virtual reality
Virtual Reality attempts to allow the respondent the feeling that they are actually in a location, simulating their movement through a 3-dimensional environment. To date most of the work has involved simulating the shopping environment, but one can see modifications to simulate other locations e.g. the inside of aircraft or airport lounges. In a shopping scenario the respondent can move down an aisle or through a store and stop at a shelf in order to look at products that they are interested in. The shelf is interactive; respondents can pick up items, turn them around, read the labels and actually make purchases. Items can be priced similarly to the way they are in a store and, if desired, certain items can be on sale. The respondent's interactions with the shelf are recorded and follow up questions can be programmed into the survey based on that behaviour.
Use of the latest mobile phone technology to capture encoded signals.
This new electronic radiometer results from significant investment in the latest mobile phone technology and our own software development over the last 12 months. We have embraced a digitally based collection route that captures encoded sound signals and provides two critical benefits – ease of respondent acceptance and longevity of technological relevance. This metered component in the measurement of the radio industry has been specifically developed to meet stated industry needs, namely accuracy, technical capability, engaging respondent compliance, and affordability.
For more information on these innovative data collection methods please contact us.