Panels and longitudinal tracking
The same participants are measured again over time. Changes at individual or household level are tracked while considering attrition and repeat-measurement effects.
Our Methods
The right data,
through the right method.
To understand what people think, how they live and the circumstances in which they make decisions, we combine data collection approaches suited to the research question. We assess quantitative, qualitative, observational and digital methods for each project.
01
Survey and interviewing techniques
Interviewer-assisted and self-administered formats that use standardised questionnaires to measure opinions, behaviour and experiences.
Telephone surveys (CATI)
An interviewer asks questions by telephone and records answers in a computer-assisted questionnaire. Software manages question routing and checks.
Applications
Public opinion, voter, customer and employee research.
Tablet-assisted face-to-face surveys (CAPI)
The interviewer meets the participant in person and records answers on a tablet or computer. Fieldwork can take place in homes, workplaces, shops and service locations.
Applications
Households, urban life, shoppers and service experiences.
Paper-based face-to-face surveys (PAPI)
An interviewer records answers on paper, followed by checked data entry. This format is considered when digital devices are unsuitable for field conditions.
Applications
Fieldwork with limited digital access.
Online surveys (CAWI)
Participants complete a web questionnaire themselves. Recruitment uses invited lists, research panels or defined audiences, with participation and response quality checks.
Applications
Brand, product, satisfaction and attitude research.
Self-administered computer surveys (CASI / ACASI)
Participants answer independently on a device; audio-assisted versions let them listen to questions. This approach can reduce interviewer effects and improve access.
Applications
Sensitive topics and accessible survey formats.
Automated voice surveys (IVR)
Recorded questions are delivered by telephone; participants respond using the keypad or supported voice responses. Short, clear question flows are essential.
Applications
Brief feedback and periodic pulse surveys.
Mobile, SMS and QR-code surveys
Short forms designed for phone screens are accessed through an app, SMS link or QR code. These are usually access routes to an online survey.
Applications
Feedback after services, events, store visits and immediate experiences.
Postal and drop-off/pick-up surveys
Participants complete a printed questionnaire and return it by post or through designated collection points. Simple routing and response follow-up are important.
Applications
Address-based studies and offline participation options.
02
Qualitative and participatory methods
Flexible interviewing and participation formats that explore the reasons behind choices, everyday experiences and the language people use.
Individual in-depth interviews
A semi-structured guide explores a person’s experiences and reasons. Interviews can take place in person, by telephone or by video call.
Applications
Motivations, decision processes and personal experiences.
Focus group discussions
A moderator explores a small group’s views on a topic and the interaction between participants. Sessions can be in person or online.
Applications
Shared perceptions, concepts and communication ideas.
Paired and triad interviews
Conversations between two or three participants explore shared decisions, differences of opinion and mutual influences.
Applications
Household decisions, shared use and purchasing experiences.
Expert and stakeholder interviews
Structured or semi-structured interviews collect information from people with relevant experience or institutional responsibility.
Applications
Sector insights, public policy, B2B and organisational needs.
Ethnographic and contextual research
Behaviour is studied in homes, workplaces or everyday settings through observation and short interviews. The relationship between accounts and actual practices is explored.
Applications
Lifestyles, usage habits and service processes.
Diaries and experience records
Participants document experiences over a defined period using text, photographs, audio or video. This captures details that may be difficult to recall in a single interview.
Applications
Consumption occasions, customer journeys and changing habits.
Online research communities
Defined participant groups respond to short tasks and questions at different times in a digital environment. Experiences and ideas are followed throughout the study period.
Applications
Ongoing feedback, needs discovery and concept development.
Participatory workshops and co-creation
Participants express needs and suggestions through guided tasks, cards, drawings or scenarios. Outputs are recorded systematically.
Applications
Service design, innovation ideas and citizen participation.
03
Observation and experimental applications
Data collection applications that complement stated opinions with behaviour, usage and controlled comparisons.
Systematic field observation
Behaviour and setting conditions are recorded using a predefined observation form. Counts, durations and process steps follow consistent definitions.
Applications
Service locations, public spaces and in-store behaviour.
Mystery shopping
Trained evaluators follow a defined service scenario and record the experience against common criteria. Assessment goes beyond personal impressions.
Applications
Service standards, channel consistency and customer experience.
Accompanied shopping and usage observation
Participants are accompanied while shopping or using a service. Choices, hesitations and decision reasons are recorded in context.
Applications
Shelf choices, purchase barriers and usage difficulties.
Central location tests (CLT)
Products, packaging or communication materials are presented under common conditions. Presentation order and comparison conditions are balanced according to the design.
Applications
Taste, product, packaging and material comparisons.
In-home use tests (IHUT / HUT)
Participants use a product in everyday life for a defined period and report their experiences through short questionnaires, diaries or interviews.
Applications
Real-world usage experience and product development.
Usability tests
Participants complete tasks with a product, website or app. Success, errors and difficulties are observed in moderated or unmoderated sessions.
Applications
Digital experience, interfaces and service flows.
Controlled experiments and A/B tests
Responses to different treatments are compared. Where the design allows, random assignment and a control group help assess the effect of a change.
Applications
Comparison of messages, offers, designs and service options.
Eye tracking and biometric measurements
Visual attention and physiological responses are recorded using specialised devices or software. Infrastructure, expertise and participant consent are required; feasibility is assessed for each project.
Applications
Visual attention and stimulus responses; these do not read thoughts or intentions on their own.
04
Digital and existing data sources
Digital traces, institutional records and published sources with appropriate research access. Newly collected data and secondary data are clearly distinguished.
Social listening and netnographic observation
Publicly accessible or permission-based digital posts and community interactions are examined. Platform user composition and visibility limits are considered.
Applications
Public discussion, brand conversations and online community experiences.
Web and app interaction records
Authorised visit, click and transaction flows are related to the research question. How records are generated and which behaviours they omit are considered.
Applications
Digital journeys, conversion steps and abandonment points.
Permission-based passive measurement and sensor data
Device, meter or sensor records are used in studies where participants are appropriately informed. Access, technical feasibility and data scope are defined in advance.
Applications
Media use, mobility and contextual behaviour measurement.
Institutional, CRM and transaction records
Customer, sales, application or service records suitable for research use are obtained. Definitions and missing data are checked before potential linkage with research data.
Applications
Customer behaviour, service demand and past performance.
Desk research and secondary data
Official statistics, open data, academic studies and industry reports are reviewed. Sources, dates, coverage and comparability are checked.
Applications
Market sizing, social indicators and research preparation.
Document, media and open-response collection
Documents, news, images and written answers are gathered against defined criteria. Sources and selection processes are documented for subsequent content or thematic analysis.
Applications
Organisational discourse, media representation and expressed needs.
Bringing methods together in a research design.
Panels, tracking and mixed designs are not data collection channels in themselves. They define whom to study, when and with which methods.
Periodic tracking and omnibus studies
Tracking studies monitor comparable periods; samples may be renewed at each wave. Omnibus designs include different topics within a shared questionnaire and sample.
Mixed-mode data collection
Telephone, online and face-to-face channels can be combined in one study. Coverage differences, duplicate participation and mode effects are checked.
Combining quantitative and qualitative methods
Qualitative findings support question and hypothesis development; quantitative measurement helps establish prevalence. Findings are interpreted together in line with the research objective.
A consistent approach to quality across methods.
Access to the target population, data quality, participant experience and the decision to be made jointly guide method selection.
Sampling and coverage
The target population, selection method and access limitations are defined clearly. No data source automatically represents society or a market.
Piloting and fieldwork checks
Questionnaires are piloted; interviewer training, consistency, duplicate-participation and data-quality checks are planned to suit the method.
Respect for participants
Participation conditions, confidentiality and data use are explained. Our company policy limits interviews to 20 minutes; the scope is designed accordingly.
Transparent implementation
Methods, fieldwork dates, samples and limitations are reported. Requirements for specialised equipment or external resources are clarified at the start of the project.
Let’s choose the method that fits your needs.
Share your research question; together we can define the audience, method and scope.