November 21, 2011

When my brother and I received the legendary Atari 2600 as a gift in 1983, we played Missile Command for several weeks (barely pausing to eat) despite the game’s simplistic objective and monochromatic screen.  This was of course at a time when computer memory was measured in bytes and not gigabytes.  And, after all, it was the only game we had.  It wasn’t until we pooled our allowance money to buy the wildly popular game Pitfall! that we realized the true genius of Atari.

The same can be said for leveraging passively collected behavioral data for market research purposes.  It has matured from a novelty with fairly simplistic applications to a tool that, if properly used, can yield valuable insights for clients. Despite this evolution, however, it is important to realize that data doesn’t necessarily speak for itself. When planning a project involving the collection and analysis of behavioral data, researchers should keep a number of thoughts in mind to ensure that clients receive the insights they need to reach their goals.

So what considerations are important for designing and executing successful projects involving the many available flavors of behavioral data?

1. Establish clear, business-driven goals before the study design is developed.  This sounds like an obvious piece of advice, but researchers regularly come to us with requests based on what data are available instead of what the client needs to know to drive revenue, market share, customer satisfaction, etc.  Creating a questionnaire in a traditional research context forces this discipline, but a wealth of preexisting datasets can lead to a lack of focus.
2. Believe in the beauty of simplicity (at least initially).  Joining datasets, honing in on micro-segments and analyzing data longitudinally are valuable tools that behavioral data collection has made increasingly possible.  However, it is easy to get carried away and overcomplicate the study design to the point that feasibility and applicability become constraints. Executing a project in multiple stages, especially with a client who is still developing a comfort with more innovative research methodologies, may be a better approach.
3. Articulate the incremental value of the behavioral data with the client. Skeptical and increasingly price-sensitive clients want to know up-front what incremental value will be driven by the data they are paying for.  It is important to clearly lay out the depth and value of the insights that will be driven by the behavioral data.  Relevant case studies have been the best vehicle, in our experience, for communicating this to clients.

These principles are just a few among many and are not vastly different from the principles involved in more traditional studies.  However, they tend to be more important with passively collected behavioral data since there are more available options with less structure.  Keeping these principles in mind when developing your research approach will help ensure project success and build a solid foundation for future business.

To learn more about what behavioral data can do for you, contact us.

Lightspeed Radius derives powerful insights through the integration of consumer survey data with observed online behaviors.  Learn more about Lightspeed Radius.

Category:Integrated Data, Research Products
Posted on November 21, 2011



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