I’m an anonymous (for now) research professional with very little patience for stupidity, both at work and in the real world.
I believe the research industry is a mess, on both the public opinion and the market research sides of the business — and I believe the vast majority of the problems are caused by the people writing the research, not the respondents. Yes, “professional survey takers” are a problem, but the bigger problem is that researchers are creating research that tends to range between mediocre and horrid. Questions are too long; answer choices are rarely mutually exclusive; phrasing is too filled with jargon. Respondents are asked to compare too many items on too many axises. Interface design is horrible. Redundant questions, supposedly created to weed out “cheaters,” instead encourage “cheating” by making the research projects too unwieldy for average respondents to cope with.
In short, it’s bad. Really, really bad.
Let’s make it better.
15 Comments
December 15, 2008 at 3:58 am
Hooray! A partner in crime.
; )
Am working my way through your blog now; finding myself nodding furiously in agreement with most of your posts.
Great stuff!
: )
Off to read more now…
December 15, 2008 at 9:16 am
I’m really just glad to know I’m not alone in this!
March 8, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Interesting blog! well done
March 9, 2009 at 11:48 am
Thanks!
March 25, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Why anonymous? I have exactly the same beefs as you and will tell anyone who wants to listen.Open and honest dialogue is the only way to realize change. Be brave and stand up for your opinions. If your current company doesn’t appreciate them, their competitors will.
March 25, 2009 at 8:46 pm
It’s a fine line. I don’t pull any punches in my criticism, but some of the people I criticize are competitors or clients, and that can be a recipe for trouble. Down the road, anything’s possible, but not yet.
May 15, 2009 at 9:21 am
but overall do you enjoy working in the research industry??
i ask, because as a potential graduate this year i’ve seen potential research posts i might apply for…would you advise it?
for you, what have been the highs, and lows in your career?
May 15, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I do enjoy what I do — though I also have very little personally to do with the sorts of bad research I highlight here. I don’t think I’d be happy if I worked for someone who seemed to be just pushing low quality research through the system, or someone who was unwilling to listen to suggestions on how to stop abusing their respondents.
Personally, I’d say my high points have been when I’ve worked in the political arena and had a good season, ranking at or near the top of the list of competing pollsters. It’s one thing to talk and debate theory, and quite another to actually get back proof that what you believed and put into practice was in fact correct. Not sure what I’d say is my lowest point, though — but it’s probably related to the (thankfully not many) times that I have had to push through a project that I wasn’t proud of.
May 15, 2009 at 2:39 pm
thanx for replying.
i never really thought research as a career before, but the post looks interesting – it’s in the pharmacetical industry and i’m gonna give the application a go.
your site (and post) was very insightful.
August 12, 2009 at 6:18 am
Hello there. I’d like to talk to you about an idea. Could you contact me on the email I’ve supplied? Anonymity will be respected.
August 20, 2009 at 8:47 pm
dd
September 4, 2009 at 9:26 am
[...] About: Research Rants ↩ Commentary [...]
September 24, 2009 at 3:47 pm
How can I submit some of the enjoyable cr$% that I encounter to you? Congratulations – you are like the Robin Hood of the MR world.
November 13, 2009 at 8:54 am
we miss you. are you okay?
November 13, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I’m good, and I’m sorry. I’ve been swamped with both work and real life, and I keep meaning to return to this, and every time I’m about to start, something else comes up! I’ll try to get started again soon…