Research Methods and Analytic Skills
Research Methods
& Analytic Skills
We have an expansive toolbox of research methods and analytic procedures, and are always adding more! But before we recommend one (or more) to address your research challenge, we take time to understand what you need to accomplish.
Qualitative Research Methods
These methods provide an in-depth exploration of a topic.
- Focus Groups
- In-depth Interviews
- Executive/Stakeholder Interviews
- Contextual Inquiry
- Ethnographic Observations
- Shop-alongs/Shopper Intercepts
- Diary Studies
Quantitative Research Methods
These methods can allow the projection of survey results to a larger population.
- Telephone Surveys (CATI)
- In-person Surveys (CAPI)
- Internet-based Surveys (CSAQ)
- Mail Surveys (SAQ)
Analytic Skills
- Thematic Analysis Of Qualitative Data
- Coding And Code Resolution Of Open-Ended Data
- Univariate Analysis (e.g., means, frequencies)
- Bivariate Analysis (e.g., contingency tables, t-tests, oneway ANOVAs, simple regression, nonparametric analyses)
- Advanced Regression Analysis (e.g., multiple hierarchical regression, logistic regression, negative binomial regression)
- Factor Analysis
- Segmentation Analysis (latent class analysis, k-means cluster analysis, Q-sort)
- Structural Equation Modeling
- Contingent Valuation
- Geospatial Analysis (GIS mapping)
Secondary Research And Analysis
These methods obtain and analyze already-existing data.
- Administrative/Unstructured Data (from your organization)
- Academic Literature
- Business Intelligence
- Social Media Trends (volume, sentiment)
- Targeted Internet Searching (Google, Quora)
- U.S. Census Data/Projections
Strategic Planning & Facilitation
- Facilitation Of Strategic Planning Sessions/Meetings
- Creation Of Strategic Plan Outlines
- Creation Of Program Logic Models
- Facilitation Of Brainstorming And Prioritization Sessions (Compression Planning)
Reporting Skills
- Succinct Summary Of The Underlying “Story” Of The Data
- Clean And Compelling Data Visualizations
- Varying Writing Styles
- Tailored Reports For Different Audiences