QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH FOR PLANNERS

If you ever .....
 
-- stammer when the client asks if you can "quantify" your focus-group findings; or
-- look away when the client research director asks for comments on the new tracking-study questionnaire; or
-- get nervous when your account guy asks you to write a p-o-v on the lousy copy-test results; or
-- shuffle your feet when the head of your agency demands some "real data" for a new-business pitch;
 
then this course will help you.
 
It's an intensive two-days' training in the quantitative research philosophy and skills required by planners. At the end of it you should have the skill needed to handle quantitative research studies confidently.

 
Duration: two days, 9am to at least 6pm each day and there will also be some preparatory reading/homework
Suitable for: planners
Price: 875pounds+vat (membership required)

You'll learn about the basic quantitative ideas, philosophy, and protocols -- including tracking studies, U&As, test markets, and quantitative advertising research.   By means of lectures, group discussion, exercises and Q&A you will glean the quantitative research essentials for planners.  In the break-out exercises you will be grouped by level of quantitative experience, to ensure that everyone -- whether this is their first experience with quant, or whether they're here for a refresher -- is learning at the highest possible level.
 
Course tutors are Merry Baskin of Baskin Shark (formerly APG chair and head of planning at JWT); and Alexa Arrowsmith, director of Hall and Partners Europe.

(1) What is quantitative research (and why is it so important)? 

-- the underlying philosophy of quantitative research
-- why clients and others value it so highly
-- common prejudices and misconceptions about quantitative research
-- how good understanding of quantitative research enriches our understanding of the world and our work as planners
-- the data every planner should know
-- criteria for selecting various research protocols
-- matching research protocol to research objectives
-- how study design anticipates study analysis

(2) Building the study (advanced fundamentals of study design)

Through a combination of lecture, discussion, and group work, you will review
-- survey methods
-- study design
-- sampling strategies
-- schedule and budget trade-offs

You'll compose real questions and question sequences, thereby getting to grips with question types, sequencing effects, respondent comprehension and exhaustion, and invisible bias in questioning.
 
(3) Analysing and interpreting the study.
 
The fundamental and advanced issues of data analysis:
-- What are you looking for?
-- How do you find surprising/exciting data?
-- What's your clue that there's something in the data worth pursuing? 

The basics of statistical analysis:
-- commonly used terms and concepts
-- how to use statistics to gauge whether a finding is spurious or meaningful
-- how to differentiate between what's significant and what's important

(4) Practical guide to the most important survey types

You will review the survey types that matter most:
-- creative development research and copy-testing
-- conjoint analysis
-- product/concept research
-- segmentation
-- syndicated studies
-- TGI (Target Group Index)
-- test markets
-- tracking research
-- omnibuses
and learn how to manage them more effectively.

There'll be an open Q&A and guest speakers and lots of practical advice from the tutors.