Seven Rules For Observational Research Essay -- essays research papers

Seven rules for empiric seek how to watch people do stuffObservational research, ethnography, or, in plain English, watching people do stuff, seems to be hot these days. Newsweek touts it ("Enough Talk," August 18, 1997), which means its getting to be mainstream, provided I find that a lot of clients arent actually comfortable with it. Certainly, compared to traditional focus groups, mini-groups, or one-on-one interviews, observational research accounts for a pitiably small portion of closely research budgets. Yogi Berras historied line that "You can observe a lot just by watching" is widely ac copeledged, but observation remains the most under-utilized qualitative proficiency in marketing research. One of the reasons seems to be that many clients (and researchers) just dont know how to get value out of watching. Nothing sours people on a good approach more permanently than a few "interesting but useless" forecasts. Learning from watching is, in fact, h ard. If you ask a not-very-deep question in a focus group, you still may get a deep and revealing answer. But if you dont know how to debate about what youll see when you watch normal people doing stuff, you wont learn much from it. And in observational research, as in all qualitative research, its the "thinking about" thats the key. Since observation skills dont get sharpened up in real life the way mocking skills do, you need to train yourself to see, learn, and think when you watch people do stuff. It takes some practice, and some discipline. I dont pretend to corroborate mastered the art, but Ive learned some techniques that will help. So here are my "Seven Rules for Observational Research." Look for the ordinary, not the extraordinary Remember the qualitative project when the lady in the third seat on the right side of the table told the story that really made it all come clear to you? You know how you wait behind the mirror for the moderator to show the new concept so you can hear real consumers respond to it for the first time and all the questions that have been running around your mind for weeks will finally be answered? Thats probably not going to happen in an observational study. Most observational projects Ive worked on have begun with a pretty nervous period while we all get past our first impression that nothings happening People aren... ...go about certain situation etc.All in all, he gives the impression just as he explained at the reservoir Yogi Berras famous line that "You can observe a lot just by watching" is widely acknowledged, but observation remains the most under-utilized qualitative technique in marketing research. .I agree with Walt Dicke. Although his seven-steps are not literally found in our marketing book, his point should be healthful addressed. Firms are not really pushing the observation research as they should be. Its an excellent tool for the marketing researcher to record behavioural patterns a s Walt Dickie was trying to point out in Rules 1,2,3. A wide variety of information can be obtained. Although some major disadvantages to observation research are that attitudes, expectations, intentions are not observable, Walt Dickie suggests following rules 4,5,6 to help alleviate from these problems. He also suggests that when the information is gathered that a qualitative analysis be done. Whether its time-consuming or not or whether it under-utilized by many one thing is certain and that is that observation is the most direct, and at times the solely method for collecting certain data.