Tools

Our approach to developing client solutions is founded on proven research methodologies. By integrating a wide array of research tools, ranging from policy analysis to media content studies to focus groups and national telephone surveys, we are able to provide our clients with the best informed strategies.

Quantitative Research Tools

We recommend our quantitative research services when a client wants to understand general views across a broad population, or to explore relationships between and across various groups. Our services include custom surveys (by phone, by mail or online and regular omnibus surveys).

We also offer a variety syndicated reports which cover Ontario public affairs issues, national public affairs issues, Aboriginal issues as well as NIMBYism and locally unwanted land uses. We offer a wide range of services in terms of multivariate analysis, including regression, cluster analysis, factor analysis and discriminate analysis. Our data analysts have extensive training and are up-to-date on the latest methodologies.

Qualitative Research Tools

When our clients need to explore why a population or group feels a certain way, we use qualitative methods to delve deeper into opinions that cannot be easily captured through quantitative research. Our services include one-on-one interviews, group discussions in dyads, triads or focus groups, as well as moment-to-moment audience response systems. We rent facilities and contract out recruiting. For recruiting general population groups, we primarily use a random digit dialing methodology rather than lists to help avoid the “professional participant issue”.

Specialized Research Techniques

When conducting complex research studies, we often use multiple modes of research to obtain the opinions of hard-to-reach audiences, build a sample OR ensure our online panel studies are weighted representatively.

When an audience is hard-to-reach, we often need to use more than one survey instrument to engage a population. In these cases, we use a combination of online, telephone, mail-back and fax-back surveys, as not all respondents have access to a particular medium.

Sometimes we need to conduct very lengthy, detailed surveys. In this situation we usually suggest an online option for our clients as it is a more cost-effective approach than traditional telephone surveys. However, we do not always have adequate sample for the research study. In this case, we tend build an interview sample by using telephone callers to solicit respondents to participate in an online survey.