5 Strategies to Get More Value Out of Your Data
Article by Patrick Fiorenza, RMS Director of Research Analytics –
While working with clients, we think critically about the types of analysis that will be the most beneficial and economical for a study. Certain types of analysis must be discussed in the early phases of the project, so that a survey/research tool can be designed in a way which ensures the right kind of insights will be identified from the study. “Clues” to the right kind of insights and analysis often come from the words or phrases used by the client. Hearing terms such as “compare,” “predict,” or “test,” an analyst can logically infer the types of tests that may be useful to really get at the client’s needs (i.e., T-tests, regression, ANOVA, TURF, Conjoint). Here are a few ways you can quickly get more value out of your data without the use of expensive analytical software.
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Crosstabs
Early in your design, think about what groups or characteristics you might want to analyze. For example, if you want to compare/contrast gender, income, and location, you better be sure to ask those questions; then, simply run the data on those variables to compare or contrast. In some cases, you can take this one step further by using tests of significance.
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Test of Significance
Basic tests of significance like a T-test or ANOVA can help you see if findings are statistically significant. For example, you may ask a question like: “On a scale from 1-5, with 5 being highly satisfied, and 1 not at all, how satisfied are you with your current employment?” If you know that the person works remote or on-site, you can test whether or not the difference between the two work experiences is meaningful.
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Test Your Scales
Cronbach’s Alpha is a basic measure of reliability (not validity). For example, if you have a Likert-style question with five items, Cronbach’s Alpha can measure how closely related items are as a group. It won’t tell if the scale is unidimensional (exploratory factor analysis will do that), but it’s a good practice to see how reliable the scale is and, in most cases, it adds a bit more rigor—especially if you are reporting scale scores or item means.
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Benchmarks
If you have done a specific survey previously, do some basic benchmarking. You can do several types of tests when you benchmark. It doesn’t have to be complex: T-Tests are very common or even look at changes in the scores. Focus on what is useful for your team and the context of the study.
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Group Discussions/Member Checking
If you are doing qualitative research, the practice of member checking is an easy way to heighten the rigor of a study and further engage the research participant. What is member checking? Here is an example: After a research interview, I create codes and write five key themes as a synopsis of the conversation. I then share the themes with the participants and ask if my assumptions are correct and what did I miss. This gives the members a chance to refine comments, think deeper, or in some cases, it even prompts them to consider different ideas and responses.
RMS has a deep toolbox of strategies and methodologies to pull from. What I believe is unique about the RMS team is that we are very interdisciplinary. Our backgrounds extend from public administration to evaluation, psychology, and public health. Our interdisciplinary experience is very useful in identifying the best methods and techniques to apply to our projects and giving our clients better results and recommendations that are grounded in well-established theory and practice.
RMS Relational Information:
Market Research: In-House or Third Party?
How Market Research Supports Your Grant Writing Initiatives
3 Questions to Ask Before You Start Your Next Market Research Project
About the Author – Patrick Fiorenza
Patrick is passionate about helping clients achieve their goals and designing effective strategies through customized market research projects. He has extensive experience in survey design, data analysis, and qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. As the Director of Research Analytics, Patrick monitors all aspects of the research project, assuring validated and high-quality results are provided to RMS clients. He is also passionate about providing coaching to analytic staff and collaborating closely with clients to ensure needs are met. Pat holds a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University and is pursuing his doctorate in curriculum, instruction, and science of learning from the University at Buffalo.
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About RMS
Research & Marketing Strategies, Inc. (RMS) is a full-service market research firm in Central New York. Formed in 2002, RMS helps organizations that are looking to know more about their customers and/or potential customers. We conduct surveys, focus groups, mystery shopping, studies, and analyses. Each project is customized and gets personal attention so that actionable, data-driven findings are delivered. RMS has a reputation for getting results. We offer an independent, professional means to conduct telephone, on-line, and mail surveying, as well as in-depth interviews, intercept interviews, and participant recruitment. We also host discussion groups through QualiSight, our onsite call center and focus group facility. We have a proven reputation for successfully recruiting and moderating focus groups, community forums, and town meetings.