Our Approach

Our skilled researchers and analysts use the full range of survey, qualitative and participative research techniques to help our clients.

Methodological expertise across the full range of qualitative and quantitative research techniques lies at the heart of our work.  This is driven by our specialist units dedicated to developing and supporting the technical aspects of research such as the Research Methods Centre, the Participation Unit, Horizons, our Ethnography Unit and our qualitative team, The Hothouse. 

We have extensive capability and experience in all aspects of research design including sampling, use of control samples, longitudinal research, data entry, scanning, validation, weighting, benchmarking, statistical analysis and mapping.  This means that we conduct research of the highest quality, which exceeds industry-set standards, with involvement of our specialist researchers at each stage.

We conduct research with a wide variety of audiences and subjects using the full range of research techniques and methods including:

• Face-to-face, postal, online and telephone quantitative surveys.  This ranges from large-scale random probability surveys and impact assessments to high quality fast-turnaround quantitative studies.
• Qualitative research including depth interviews, group discussions, deliberative workshops, filmed ethnographic techniques, discourse analysis and semiotics, utilising projective and interactive techniques when appropriate.

We also make the most of the technology at our disposal and utilise research survey technology including Computer Assisted Personal and Telephone Interviewing (CAPI and CATI), as well as methods for electronic dissemination of data through a range of extranet models.