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How to Conduct Ethnography for Big Results and Real Impact

Ethnographic research allows us to observe behavior in natural settings, uncovering deep insights that traditional methods often miss. By blending into the environment with unobtrusive recording techniques, I can capture genuine reactions without participants feeling observed. This approach helps businesses better understand their customers’ decision-making processes, leading to practical solutions. In one project, we identified over 80 improvements for a restaurant chain—some small, others transformative—ultimately enhancing the customer experience in ways that executives often hadn’t considered […]

Podcasts

VIEWS Podcasts: Isaac Rogers

In this episode of Conversations in Depth, host Mike Carlon sits down with Isaac Rogers, the president of Sago, who takes us on a captivating journey through his career, offering a glimpse into the world of qualitative research and the vision behind one of the industry’s leading firms. […]

Podcasts

VIEWS Podcasts: David Kalisher

Mike Carlon is joined by David Kalisher of Jolly Road productions. Listen in as we uncover David’s journey from struggling artist to successful filmmaker creating visual experiences for advertising, market research, corporate board rooms, conferences, museums, living rooms, digital content, and more. […]

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FUELING CREATIVITY WITH INSIGHTS: How Advertising Agencies Best Collaborate with Qualitative Researchers

Consumer insights are the most critical building blocks of effective advertising—and the key people behind those insights are often qualitative researchers. Kathleen Kindle, Group Strategy Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, delves into why advertising agencies rely heavily on qualitative insights and what advertising strategists and creatives need from qualitative researchers. […]

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DIY Infographics: Transforming Insights with Visual Storytelling

The most effective research tells a compelling story. It has been said that writing less requires more thought and strategy than writing more—so it’s no wonder many of us struggle to create infographics. Researcher Joe Hopper can relate—and in this article, he shares his approach of eight principles for creating thoughtful and compelling DIY infographics that can enhance qualitative storytelling. […]

Podcasts

VIEWS Podcasts: Dresden McBride

Mike Carlon’s latest podcast with Dresden McBride leverages their combined four decades of conducting user research in the financial services industry and is a must-listen for researchers interested in the digital customer experience. Highlights include when and why to leverage instinct and experience over customer opinions, and Dresden’s take on how researchers and designers can work more effectively together. […]

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Demystifying Semiotics: A Primer on How to Do Semiotic Decoding

In this how-to article, SemioFest co-founder Hamsini Shivakumar demystifies semiotics. She explains: what semiotics is; how it is different from voice-of-the-customer research; and how semiotics-based insights help your customers improve their marketing. Hamsini also provides an introductory how-to on conducting semiotics analyses so that you can consider how you might incorporate semiotics into your practice or business. […]