By Michael Howard, Infotools | Photo courtesy of Infotools
No matter your industry or job function, selecting the right software can be a daunting task. There are so many options out there, not to mention that implementing new technology will inevitably cause disruptions in workflow and interrupt your team’s groove. But steering away from new innovations can mean that your company falls behind and is no longer competitive. In the market research sector, new solutions are coming to market all the time, using AI and automation to speed up your projects and create efficiencies, among other things. But how to navigate through this maze?
Starting out with a fundamental understanding of some of the challenges you may encounter during the market research software buying journey is a good step in the right direction.
UX and you: ensuring team adoption and absorbing the learning curve
Any tool is only as good as the human being wielding it - and if a tool is not user friendly, then it can’t be implemented effectively. Despite all the research and testing on user interfaces, you will likely encounter available solutions that are unnecessarily complex and do not provide an intuitive path to your end goal. This can cause so much frustration that a tool may never fully be adopted or used to its full potential, wasting countless amounts of time and money.
Any new solution will have a learning curve, so you should be ready for that. However, an extremely steep learning curve can disrupt workflow so drastically that team members resist the change or come up with workarounds. You can minimize this outcome first by choosing a tool that prioritizes usability, and second by implementing the solution during less busy periods or phased adoption. Pilot programs and parallel testing can help assess usability without overwhelming the team, and comprehensive training materials and robust customer support from your chosen vendor or partner can ease the transition.
Meeting your organization’s unique research needs
Seeking tools that prioritize simplicity and are designed to fit the exact needs of your team and business situation is also a good idea. No solution can be all things to all people and instead should focus on doing one thing exceptionally well. This approach reduces complexity and ensures a more user-friendly experience. At my company, we call this “fit-for-purpose” software and have seen time and time again that this concept can make or break new technology adoption.
Go into your software search with a list of detailed requirements that you can share with potential vendors and ask up front for transparency about any gaps in their offerings. Also, don’t forget how fast everything around us is changing. Make sure there is flexibility built-in, which is crucial for adapting to what will likely be evolving requirements.
Evaluating workflow efficiency and productivity
Learning curve aside, another major concern is whether the new software will save time or simply add another layer to an already complex and difficult workflow. If you can conduct a thorough time analysis of current processes and compare them to the proposed workflow you can have a better idea of what you’re up against. In-depth vendor demonstrations and trial periods can provide a real-world assessment of the software's impact. The goal should be to gain far more efficiency than the current method or workflow provides to your team.
The specific software needs of market research
Market researchers are judged on the quality of insights they deliver, so you want to make sure your new software selection will help you reach your quality goals. Setting up personalized demo environments with familiar projects can help assess the new tool's value-add. Also, ask for case studies and testimonials from similar organizations to get a sense of how the tool is being implemented and working in the real world. When you define desired metrics for success upfront ensures that the evaluation process is objective and comprehensive.
Data accuracy and reliability are also paramount in our industry. I can’t stress enough just how important it is to select software that adheres to industry standards and employs rigorous validation methods. Understanding the statistical methods used by the software and ensuring access to respondent-level data can provide confidence in the tool's capabilities.
We’re in the data business. And we all know that data is coming at us from all directions – and we likely have historic data in various systems. When you implement new solutions, transitioning data from one platform to another can be challenging. Plan two steps ahead by ensuring any new tool allows for easy data export, which can prevent future headaches and provide greater flexibility. It's also essential to choose a tool that is agnostic to data collection agencies, allowing for diverse data sources without being locked into a single provider. Our industry and landscape are too complex for tools that don’t talk to one another.
As market researchers, our role in understanding consumer behavior and informing business decisions is more vital than ever. The right software can significantly enhance our capabilities, providing deeper insights and more efficient workflows. With careful evaluation, thorough up-front planning, and strategic implementation when adopting new market research tools, you make informed software purchase decisions that drive better outcomes. As the market research landscape continues to evolve, embracing new technologies thoughtfully and strategically will be key to staying ahead and delivering exceptional value to our organizations.
About the author:
Michael Howard is the Head of Marketing at Infotools. He is a data-driven marketer with nearly 20 years of experience in helping B2B and B2C businesses provide exceptional experiences to their customers. Michael has a passion for fusing his creativity and curiosity with technology to uncover fresh insights, which are then surfaced as relevant propositions, engaging content, and rich storytelling. And all of this with an end goal of turning insights into meaningful business and customer outcomes.