One of my favorite scenes in the cult classic, The Princess Bride, is when The Man in Black is locked in an epic wrestling match with the colossus, Fezzik. Much to the viewer’s surprise, the giant is being beaten by a man half his size. In a flash of brilliance, Fezzik figures out why he’s having such difficulty subduing such an inferior foe…

That scene is eerily reminiscent of the change that happened in qualitative research after at the onset of the COVID pandemic. Up to that point, the mainstay of market research was in-person focus groups. Moderators had razor-sharp skills for leading group discussions among half-a-dozen consumers and coaxing insights out of the group. They were deft at keeping energy levels high while also keeping the “alpha personalities” in check and adroitly drawing out input from the most introverted members of the group.

Then COVID happened and forced an epochal change in qualitative market research. In a flash, all research migrated online and IDIs (in-depth interviews) became the mainstay of the research diet.

In response, researcher practitioners had to pivot and adapt. They had to de-emphasize their moderating skills and bolster their interviewing skills. Personal interactions, control, and empathy trumped the need to infuse energy, accommodate different perspectives, and ensure an efficient conversation. The words of Fezzik could have been spoken by seasoned market research practitioners, “You use different moves when you’re [interviewing] half a dozen people than when you only have to be worried about one.”

Thankfully, the world of market research is slowly re-emerging from behind the screen and tiptoeing back into the focus group rooms, people’s homes, retail environments, and other in-person settings. And as in-person research and focus group discussions emerge from the shadows, it’s time for interviewers to return to being moderators.

I’m calling attention to this because I’ve seen many instances, recently, in which moderators bring their interviewer game to the focus group room. So rather than a group discussion, the sessions feel more like concurrent IDIs. Each respondent gets a chance to answer. There is little to no interaction between respondents. The (clears throat) “conversation” is just not flowing despite all the ingredients being there.

Qualitative market research is a significant investment of time, money and effort. So as you’re planning your qualitative market research, consider more than just who will be in the discussion (the number and nature of respondents). Consider, also, who will be leading the discussion.

If you or your team are having a hard time finding insights that contribute to the growth of your brand, drop us a line. We’d love to partner with you to unmask insights that can bring down even the biggest of giants.