Data quality is crucial in market research. The accuracy and reliability of the insights obtained from research directly depend on the quality of the data collected. Poor quality data can lead to incorrect conclusions and misguided decisions, which can be costly for businesses. The old saying holds true: “garbage in, garbage out.”
Data quality begins from participant selection and carries through every aspect of a research project. On the corporate side, we have seen far too many instances of online survey routing not being checked or soft-launch data being ignored. This often leads to missing data, gathering additional completes or having to recontact respondents – all of which can add additional costs and additional time to a project. With simple procedures and due-diligence this can be avoided.
How do we ensure data quality?
Quality starts with the participants. Coax Insights works with reputable providers who maintain quality standards in their panel participants. In addition to using quality sources of participants, our team at Coax Insights also reviews the data inputs. Our team checks soft-launch data, monitors screeners, reviews data entries and leverages other methods, such as data cleaning, validation, and verification to ensure data quality in the results. We watch closely for apparent bot activity, speeding and straight-lining, and other suspect behavior. We may also use technology such as algorithms and machine learning to identify poor quality responses. By prioritizing data quality, Coax Insights can provide our clients with reliable and valuable insights that can guide business decisions.
When working with client lists, initial data quality may be more mixed. Very often, client contact lists are manually maintained and therefore easily get “out of sync” with reality, greatly reducing participation. Or a centralizd list may exist, but may not be regularly maintained. A more closely managed list, validated by internal sources, will be more accurate – but may also be subject to selection bias.
Coming Up in December: 4 Things your Corporate Research Team Wishes You Knew
To kick off December, we’ll take a lighthearted look at an important element in your research efforts: how to work well with your research team. Do you have a question about market research? Post a comment below, and it may make its way into a future post. Do you have a question you hope to answer with market research? Contact our team at Coax Insights. We’d be happy to help.
Subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an issue.