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INTRODUCTION One of the main buzzwords of 2015 within the market research industry is agility, which literally means the power of moving quickly and easily. This does not come as a surprise, considering that the world around us is changing more rapidly than ever. We all recognize how this pace of change is speeding up, but only seldom do we take a step back to look at where this acceleration is taking us and how we can cope with the impact it may have. Research projects set up by brands that want to gaze into the future to identify new consumer trends are no exception, but how many times have we used these consumer trends to define where we, as a research industry, should be heading?
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Even though our industry keeps talking about agility, we are in fact not walking the talk. Our industry is one of the most rigid ones out there. Previous research by InSites Consulting and Gen2 Advisors showed that our industry is rather skeptical towards new research approaches and that we tend to stick to the traditional ways of doing research (Schillewaert & Pallini, 2014). This fondness for traditional approaches is not only visible in a platform discrepancy, where offline still dominates the qualitative research space and where surveys lack mobile friendliness. It is also visible in the way we conduct our research projects and apply creative techniques, as only 44% of qualitative research projects use creative methods. This drops to 9% for quantitative 04
projects, where only a very small minority uses task-based elements or includes a social dimension where consumers can interact in their survey. Nevertheless, we can all agree that, if our industry does not rethink its business model and applications, the days of marketing research will soon be over. So how can we make our business future-proof? The change that influences our industry both today and tomorrow is driven by two big pillars (see figure 1) Firstly, the context around us, caused by the changing environment. It is inevitable that technology will take up a more dominant position in both our personal and professional lives. Just think about the evolutions in robotics, 3D printing (including that of printing human organs), the Internet of things‌ In addition, changes in the climate and political environment will also further shape our future. The only certainty we have is that things will
keep on changing at an increasingly fast pace and our industry needs to embrace change the way trees embrace the wind – namely by not stubbornly resisting but by bending along.
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Figure 1. Drivers of change in our industry
The second and most important domain of change is fed by people, who in their turn are influenced by the historical and social context they grew up in. Hence, if we want to forecast what the market research industry will look like in 2020 and beyond, why not zoom in on the newest generation that will dominate future businesses?
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MEET YOUR FUTURE CONSUMER, COLLEAGUE AND RESEARCHER 07
Generation Z, also referred to as the digital natives, are those born between 1997 and 2010. These young consumers grew up in a post9/11 environment dominated by the Internet and smartphones. Where Millennials grew up with the worldwide web, this generation grew up with social media. They consider the world to be boundless and have the most disposable income in their youth out of all previous generations. Meet your new consumer and, with half of them entering the job market by 2020, your newest researcher generation.
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In order to predict what the future of marketing research could look like, we should dig deeper in understanding what characterizes these new consumers and translate these into insights worth embracing in research, starting today. In order to find those insights which characterize this newest generation, we used a new online research game we call the Detective Game (see figure 2). This game involves consumers as detectives. The scope of the game is to generate insights that define this youngest generation, especially regarding their dreams, role models, social media and brand usage. Participants are asked to take up the role of detectives and find characteristics for each of these areas. For each 08
characteristic they upload, they are invited to add supporting evidence consisting of both online and user-generated sources and to add an explanation. Besides uploading their own characteristics, they can see what other people post and comment or add additional evidence to observations posted by others. Consumers do not only function as participants, but they all get a role of co-researcher where they help to interpret the data. We did not only ask Generation Z to play this game, but we also invited Generation Y (today’s 19-35 year olds), Generation X (36-50 year old) and the Baby boomers (their parents, aged 51 to 69) to find trends that characterize this youngest generation. Each group had their own trend upload platform or Detective Game to participate in. A total of 132 people participated (78 GenZ, 37 GenY and 17 GenX and Baby boomers). A total of 338 trends were uploaded, with 1,019 pieces of evidence.
Figure 2. The Detective Game
Next, we wanted to gather further evidence on what defines these youngsters and how they differ from the generations before them. In order to do so, we set up a large research in cooperation with Lightspeed GMI, our field partner for this project, in eight countries (Belgium, Netherlands, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, the US and Australia). We did this through a modular survey (see figure 3) where we asked Baby boomers as well as members from the Generations X, Y and Z about their beliefs and perceptions concerning nine different themes and topics. Some of the themes and topics covered regarded the future, health and food, finance, technology adoption and digital behavior, with each participant receiving five topics. As Generation Z covered both kids and teens, we gave them a different survey depending on their age. Those older than 12 received the regular survey after parental consent (if required) with some questions or answers not shown to them if inappropriate or too difficult. Those aged under 12
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Figure 3. The modular survey
were recruited through their parents, the latter first being invited to answer some questions about themselves and their views on parenting, whereupon they could fill out a second part together with their kid(s). We interviewed around 250 consumers per generation and per country, making this a study amongst 9,560 persons. Both projects generated a lot of interesting data as well as qualitative observations, allowing us to detect meaningful patterns which we then translated into insights regarding the next generation. With insights, we mean an understanding of the inner nature of things, leading to a discovery of something that is not yet obvious but at same time recognizable and real. Below, we will describe some trends linked to Generation Z as well the underlying insights.
The age of impatience Whereas Generation Y grew up with the computer, Generation Z are digital in the sense that they do not know a world without the Internet. Being always-on and connected comes natural to them. They live in a world where there is an information overload and where this information reaches them in a fragmented way. Being constantly up-to-date of what is going on in the world surrounding them, both far and near, has caused this generation to become impatient stimulation junkies. #IAMBORED
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“In a world where they are constantly asking for my attention, the contrast of doing only one thing is making me bored. That is why I often connect to another device while consuming media. This way I can keep my level of entertainment high.� This impatience has translated itself in the fact that they do not want to miss out on anything, they constantly want to be up-to-date of what is going on and as a consequence will multitask in order to get all the information they need at a single moment. While Generation Y can easily combine two devices at the same time, previous research by JWT Intelligence has shown that Generation Z is an even more natural multitasker, being able to combine up to five different screens simultaneously (JWT Intelligence, 2012). As such, it is no exception for these youngsters to combine watching TV with other activities. In fact our I N S I T E S C O N S U LT I N G
research showed that more than 55% chats with friends and more than two out of five use social media while watching television. #FOMO “In a world where there are so many interesting things going on, I have a constant fear of missing out on things happening around me. That is why it is no exception for me to consume media while being in the middle of another activity. This way I am always up-to-date.” Generation Z is also impatient in the sense that they want to consume media when they want it, where they want it. Youngsters watch signifi12
cantly more television and movies on other devices than a regular television as it allows them to consume things when and where they want to. Furthermore it also allows them to watch shows that are not being broadcast on television in their country yet, which they do not have the patience to wait for. This is why the introduction of Netflix in the European markets has been so successful. A 2013 Netflix survey revealed that 61% of people binge-watch regularly, another act of impatience typical for the youngest generations (West, 2013). #IWANTITNOW “In a world where there is an abundance of information, I am used to immediately getting what I want. That is why I selfserve media when and where I want. This way I am in control of what media to consume.”
Short attention span Generation Z is used to being surrounded by a million things asking for their attention and as a consequence they are becoming very selective in what they consume. They do not have the time or patience to stop for five minutes and listen to what you have to say, you literally need to grab their attention. A recent study by Microsoft showed that the human attention span shortened from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2013, which is supposedly one second shorter than that of a goldfish (Microsoft, 2015). This increased scarcity in human attention can be attributed to the digitalization of our lives: the adoption of technology, the use of social media and multi-screen behavior. If the average person’s attention span is lower than a goldfish’s, what does that mean for Generation Z, the digital natives who grew up in this tech-driven world? These youngsters use short formats in their daily communication, limiting messages to 140 characters and using emoji to express themselves. In order to grab their attention, communication to them needs to be short, relevant and to the point. Visual cues are key as they are easy to process and allow bringing a message across without wasting too many characters.
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#SHOWME “In a world where there is an abundance of things asking for my atten14
tion, it is difficult for me to process things in detail. That is why I pay more attention to short and visual communication executions. This way I can get my daily dose of content in a digestible way.�
I am dreaming of a better world If you were to ask a 10-year-old what Ebola is, chances are that he or she will be able to say something about the topic. Yet had you done the same 20 years ago with a topic such as HIV, which was (and still is) a comparable world problem, I can bet you that the average kid back then
would barely have known. This is not because schools are now focusing more and more on teaching children about world problems (even though maybe they should), but again because information is reaching everyone so easily. Generation Z grew up in a post-9/11 world, with a lot of terrorism and world problems. They have seen their parents suffer through the economic crises and are aware that the world is a rough place. This has shaped them in being a very realistic generation, making them driven to make the world a better place, not only in terms of a decrease in crime but also in wanting to fight diseases and safeguard the future for the generations after them. Generation Z wants to fight global warming and actively create a better future for the generations to come. Just think about the many charity events they are now involved in, but also the individual initiatives coming from people like Alexander Andraka who looked for a new method to detect cancer at an early stage (cf. infra) or Boyan Slat, a Dutch GenZer who wants to clean the ocean and remove all plastic bags (The Ocean Cleanup, 2014). #IHAVEADREAM “The world we live in is marked by a lot of negativity caused by wars, terrorism, financial problems. This is why I want to contribute actively in making the world a better place. This is the only way we can safeguard the future for ourselves and the generations following us.�
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One world, different and yet the same Generation Z are kids of the world, having mixed ancestry of two races and more being no exception; they are the most racially diverse generation. They are a pretty diverse group and look at this increased diversity with a more positive light in comparison with the generations before them. They are also the first generation to grow up in a household with blurred gender roles, where it is no exception for the father to be a stay16
at-home-dad while the mother builds herself a career. This has made this generation less traditional when it comes to gender roles in both professional and personal lives. Next to that they are the most progressive and open-minded generation, accepting that people are unique and equal at the same time and as such do not differentiate based on gender or sexual preference. #ITSBLURRY “In this fast-pacing world it is no exception that both parents have to work for a living. That is why I believe traditional roles do not make sense anymore. In my future, household tasks will not automatically go to women. As such, both men and women can find a balance between their careers and family lives.�
#WHOGIVESASEXUAL “In a world that is full of variation, gender is no longer defining who you are and what you do. In order to have equality in this world, I do not label people based on their gender. This way, people should be accepted just the way they are.” #WORLDGENERATION “Living in a boundless world, we are all citizens of the same planet. That is why I believe people are the same and we should not make a difference based on where they or their parent’s origins are based. We need to differentiate people based on who they are, not on where they come from.” 17
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Drive for success In contrast with Generation Y, this generation also seeks happiness through success. For these youngsters, being successful leads to happiness and vice versa, in the sense that they are happy when being challenged. As a result they are a skill-oriented generation; 35% wants their skills to be the most important thing about them, while this is significantly lower for the previous generations. Generation Z is eager 18
to further develop their skills and leverage them. This is probably also what feeds the entrepreneurial mindset which characterizes this generation; 37% of Generation Z wants to start their own business one day. And this is already visible today: young entrepreneurs are no longer an exception, going from game developers, vloggers (i.e. video bloggers) to even scientists. An example is the 17-year-old Alexander Andraka, probably the youngest cancer treatment scientist ever. At the age of 13, he invented a method to detect pancreas cancer at an early stage, with a higher accuracy and at a lower cost than the existing techniques. Or Evan, who started his YouTube channel EvanTubeHD at the age of 7, where he rates toys and video games. What they all have in common, is that they leverage their skills and use them smartly to make it in life.
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#HOBBYPLOYMENT “In a world marked by the economic crisis, people are having a hard time finding a job and as such end up doing something that does not match with who they are. I am used to only focus on the things I like. That is why I believe it is important that I actively continue to develop the skills I am good at and as such turn my hobby into a job. This way I can succeed in life through a successful career I truly like.�
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Quest for independence Generation Y, the kids of the optimistic Baby boomers, is a generation that did not feel the need to move out of their parents’ home too quickly. They enjoyed “hotel mama”, the comfort and the ease of living at home. The opposite is true for Generation Z; these youngsters can’t wait to leave the parents’ nest. They are eager to move out and start their own life, without any help from their parents, both career-wise, where they are driven to make it, work hard and earn money and also in their personal life, where they cannot wait to build a house, get married and have children. This drive for achievement and independence is something this generation inherited from their parents, Generation X, which is very individualistic and career-minded.
#INDEPENDENCE “In today’s reality, working hard is a key to success. That is why I can’t wait to be independent, move out of the house, get a job or start my own business. This is the only way I will be truly happy in life.” The quest for independence is also reflected in the values they embrace as a generation. Generation Z values adventure significantly more and are not risk-averse. It comes as no surprise that they have an entrepreneurial mindset. This is also visible in their appearance; this generation values having an own identity, also when it comes to how they dress and look. They look for brands that allow them to reflect their own personality and creativity. They want to stand out from the mass and want to hyper-customize things so they reflect their unique identity. As such, brands need to allow them to have their own style and identity. #THISISME “People are unique and different in their own way. I am proud to be different, which is why I try to move away from the mass by personalizing things so that they fit me. This is the only way I can stand out and show the world the real me.” Now that we have a better impression of what characterizes this youngest generation, let’s see what the impact is on our industry. In the following section we will describe what the implications of these insights are across all stages of the research process by means of storytelling.
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TAKING THE RESEARCH TIME MACHINE TO A GENZ-DOMINATED WORLD Let me take you to the year 2025, a year in which smartphones have been replaced by say bracelets, screenless devices allowing you to project your touchscreen on your arm (Cicret, 2014) (see figure 4) and where the driverless cars are no longer an exception. Technology is not the only thing that has evolved in the past decade, but it sure has been the driver for many changes that define 2025. In the following section we will take the research time machine to a day in the life of a researcher and their client in 2025. A world dominated by Generation Z, where they are not only your consumer but also joined the workforce as researchers and research users at the client side. We will zoom in on the different research phases and link back what has changed, based on the insights mentioned before.
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Figure 4. Cicret Bracelet
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Meet Jenna from London, born in 2000. She is 1/8th Japanese, 1/8th Taiwanese, 1/4th British, 1/4th Swedish and 1/4th Canadian, making her a product of multiracial bloodlines which is far from uncommon these days. #WORLDGENERATION. She works as an independent researcher, where she does not only have her own client projects, she also occasionally groups with other freelancers in a temporary team. This way she can keep the flexibility of working on her own, while at the same time teaming up with others for more complex projects beyond her individual skills and expertise.
#HOBBYPLOYMENT #INDEPENDENCE. She is currently working with Hendrick from Sweden, a 28-year-old GenZer at the client side, working for a global brand.
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6.30 AM: The room brightens up on the sonar tones of Jenna’s Bracelet alarm. Time to wake up. Before Jenna gets out of bed, she twists her arm so that the Bracelet’s touchscreen appears on her arm, which shows that she has a hologram message from Hendrick. Speak Jenna says. Hendrick’s face appears in 3D in front of her, he wants to let her know that he has a new research brief he would like to discuss with her. This gives Jenna the wake-up boost she needs. She cannot believe that in the past the industry worked with long briefings and proposals; luckily today the request for proposal comes to you in bits and pieces, giving you at least the opportunity to think along and co-create the brief with your client. #SHOWME.
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7.30 AM: Jenna is on her way to an office cubicle in the woods near her house, one of the 100% ecological and shared office spaces in nature. These spaces replace the old energy-consuming corporate buildings from the past, as nowadays 80% of the people combine working from home with these flexible space cubicles. #THISISME #INDEPENDENCE #IHAVEADREAM. She adores the office cubicles in the woods or by the lake, as they allow her to relax and focus. Once arrived, she crafts her proposal, demonstrating how the outcome will look, using a visual hologram presentation. This way Hendrick can see exactly what to expect in terms of research deliveries. No more long descriptions of how to approach a project, visualizing the outcome is key! #SHOWME.
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Figure 5. Hunger Games hologram control room
8.30 AM: Jenna is having a chat with Hendrick, taking him through the hologram presentation of the proposal. Even though there is quite a distance between them, Jenna being in the UK and Hendrick in Sweden, the hologram technology allows them to have a hands-on talk about the ins and outs of the research project. They can both visualize things in 3D, with the possibility of moving things around, live, and changing them along the way. This is truly something they both like, brainstorming together and crafting the ideal design. #THISISME. Thinking that this technology, which was labeled as science fiction back in 2013 when used in, for example, the Hunger Games movie, is now part of a business environment (see figure 5). Hendrick likes her ideas and wants to move forward with the project. Everything needs to be set up today. She has known Hendrick for a long time already, but they only work together on an ad hoc basis. The new generation researchers value their independence more than ever, which results in the fact that it is harder than ever to close long-term contracts with clients. She totally understands Hendrick. After all, she has been working as a freelancer herself. She does not understand why anyone would still want to be tied to an agency! #INDEPENDENCE. I N S I T E S C O N S U LT I N G
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9.00 AM: Jenna connects with the different recruitment partners to discuss the planned recruitment strategy. First up is the “Market Research Privacy Commission”, consisting of formal panel providers that shifted their business since the panel market died in 2018. She will need the permission to extract all the available personal data of the participants who sign up for the HoloSurv (survey with 3D holographic projection technology). She gets the shivers thinking back to only five years ago, when researchers would still ask these types of questions through a survey, what a waste! Who would still ask questions nowadays if the answers are available through social graphing or can be tracked by 28
wearables? This is also the reason why former Usage studies are no longer realized; all behavioral data is simply out there and available upon permission. #IAMBORED. Research today is mainly about attitudes and perceptions, which is something we still cannot accurately extract from big data. Also, today’s consumer has accepted the fact that their available data can be used for instances such as research, except of course their gender details. This is something that can no longer be asked, based on the 2020 ESOMAR Code of Conduct, stating that is inappropriate to ask the gender question, as it has proven to be just a useless stereotype in this age of blurred gender lines and gender fluidity. #ITSBLURRY #WHOGIVESASEXUAL.
9.30 AM: Jenna needs to find a technical team, she logs on to the Research Tech Platform to see who is available to implement the HoloSurv. #IWANTITNOW. She leaves a request which is now open for freelancers to take on; she should soon find someone suitable for the job. For this project we will need to enable geo-tracking and have the HoloSurv available within the relevant context occasion. Since 2018 we no longer recruit based on socio-demographic information but rather on context occasions. This is all in line with the thinking that context is a better predictor of consumer behavior and that our decisions are mainly driven by our mood, habits, emotions and the contextual background we are in. Moreover, consumers no longer get why a company wants to obtain information from them if the moment of surveying is not relevant. It makes sense to help your favorite brand or to give feedback on your coffee while drinking it, but who would still complete a survey just because you fit the target group?! #BEHAPPY #IAMBORED.
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Ping, she taps the screen and soon a face pops up in 3D. His name is Paolo, he is from Rome and would like to do the implementation. She quickly slides over the hologram to check his credits based on previous projects, he does indeed look like the perfect match. Jenna taps the hologram twice and soon the static image of his face turns into the real-time view of Paolo sitting at his desk. She runs the specs by him, both the design as the recruitment set-up. She also wants to post a survey link on the MySkill Platform, a platform where people make their skills available to do all kind of tasks for you, including for example recruiting others around them to participate in surveys. You could consider it as the Uber for skills, where people basically make their skills 30
(e.g. design, implementation, recruiting) available for you. #HOBBYPLOYMENT. To think that 10 years ago, there still was such a thing as panel providers! Luckily these times are over as now people opt in themselves, this all leading to better and richer data quality. 10.30 AM: Her Bracelet is vibrating, this means it is time to move! Jenna goes to the treadmill desk and starts walking. Lovely how the walls in the cubicle desk are made of glass, allowing her to enjoy a spectacular view while taking a walk on the treadmill. She calls the Serendipity Agency from the treadmill desk. She adores the creatives at the Serendipity agency; they are the ones who take care of that spark of surprise for your HoloSurv, an essential element these times. Incentivation of research participants changed completely: no way can you force Generation Z to participate in a survey in exchange for points or
a prize. #BEHAPPY #SERENDIPITY. It’s Edwin, his face appears in a hologram and they talk about what serendipity effect to include. Erwin proposes to use location-based tracking to surprise people during their next grocery visit with a bag of fresh fruit after they have completed the survey. The project is about fruit concepts anyway. That’s been taking care off then, she likes this way of working. Having this face-to-face meeting while having her morning walk or run. 11.00 AM: In the middle of her walk, she gets a ping from Paolo, he appears in front of her and tells her the HoloSurv is ready to be launched. For this concept testing approach, Jenna suggested to use a Tinder-like rating design in which participants see each concept in 3D projection and are asked to ditch or bliss the concept. Not only do participants see the concept in 3D, but Phygital research technologies allows them to actually touch and even smell it. Luckily those long boring concept validation studies that force participants to over-rationalize things and rate a concept on a zillion KPIs have become oblivious. It is definitely a good evolution that researchers are no longer taking themselves too serious. And it’s also good that ESOMAR has launched their ’10-question limit’ charter. As an industry, we finally started protecting our consumer ecosystem! #IAMBORED #SHOWME #WHYSOSERIOUS.
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11.30 AM: This is Jenna’s favorite part, the data is sipping in, allowing her to create the research story real-time. Today’s technology makes it possible for her to literally drag and drop variables in the air, so she can create 3D holographic charts which Hendrick can also see and update along the way. She is taking a look at the image analyzer which is digesting all visual input. Today more than 50% of research data are visuals and videos. It is a much more natural way for Generation Z to express themselves. Who would have thought that only five years ago they were still using PowerPoint for reports? #SHOWME. 1:00 PM: Best time of the day! The project is up and running and now 32
she can have some Jenna time. First stop is yoga class. She loves a little Zen time in her busy schedule; in the end life is short and it is all about living it to the fullest. After class she is meeting her best friend in town for a healthy lunch at Sorpresa, a nice Italian place where there is no menu. Antonio, the owner of the restaurant, just cooks you whatever he thinks fits with your mood of that day. She loves that surprise effect. Plus the food is delicious too, making it the perfect lunch combo. #BEHAPPY #SERENDIPITY. 04.00 PM: Intermediate brief with Hendrick, they are going through the data, tweaking things in real-time. Jenna shows Hendrick how to deep dive into the data by tapping on a subset of the chart; the qualitative comments immediately appear, allowing him to truly capture what the consumers feel about the concept tested. They expect the project to
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be finished by tomorrow, when Hendrik can brief his team. They are brainstorming about the best way to share the results with the internal stakeholders. Jenna proposes setting up an Augmented Reality application, which will allow the stakeholders in Hendrick’s team to get push messages when they are in a relevant context. They will then be able to get a live view of what consumers do and how they use the concept in these relevant occasions. What better way to understand the research outcome than by immersing real-time in what consumers do. Hendrick thinks it is a great idea and even suggests to add a serendipity element in there. They agree to do this by inviting real consumers to the office of those stakeholders who do not use the app at least five 34
times in the coming two months. They both cannot wait to present the full results tomorrow to the whole team. #SHOWME #SERENDIPITY. 05.00 PM: Time to move on again, Jenna cleans up her desk and drives home. At home she taps her Bracelet again while watching TV to see how many responses they still need. She wants to be up-to-date on what is going on. Everything should be set in a few hours, allowing her to finish the presentation in the morning. #FOMO 09.00 PM: Jenna sends a small e-message (emoji message) to Hendrick. Three emoticons (see figure 6) is all it takes to let Hendrick know the responses are in, that she is satisfied and ready for bed. #SHOWME.
Figure 6. Emoji message
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Do you consider this story to be science fiction? Apart from some of the technological features, this scenario is not as futuristic as you may think. It links back to some of the important insights that characterize the younger generations which soon will be joining the professional workplace. Generation Z may not be your client or colleague just yet, but they definitely are an important consumer segment to recognize and as such an essential target group to involve in research. If we aim to connect with these consumers today, we should start being more agile and adapt our research formats accordingly. But where can and should we start? To make it more concrete and to help you make your research futureproof starting today, we have created a short nine-step checklist:
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Talk to your teenage daughter or son and learn their emoji language. No teenager in your household? That is no excuse, surely there is one in your family or circle of friends. Get inspired by how they talk to friends and use this “snappy” (i.e. short and ephemeral) communication in your next research project.
2. Challenge the next client who proposes a (long) grid question. Surveys should only include questions that directly influence the decision-making process; the questions included should be short and sharp. 36
This is to not discriminate people who have a short attention span (which is about 99% of the population).
3. Read an article on beacons. Throw your traditional recruitment strategy overboard for the next project you have and look for creative and relevant ways to recruit people to participate.
4. Integrate ‘Facebook connect’ in your survey and use this already available data smartly. Also, recycle what participants have said before and stop bothering people with questions on their socio-demographic profile.
5. Want to take it even further? Stop using this socio-demographic information as such. What does gender even mean? We may need to challenge these types of questions, especially in today’s reality where gender fluidity is no longer an exception.
6. Make your research more visual, move away from the traditional Q&A format and introduce task-based elements. Not only is this more engaging for participants, it also leads to a more natural and richer output.
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Integrate a serendipity element for participants in the next project that comes your way. Do not use a traditional credit system for incentivation, but be creative and give participants something beyond the expected.
8. Make your research more impactful by not only creating a nice report, but by also adding a whole new dimension to it. Bring your story to life either within the report (beyond just visuals) or by visualizing real consumer stories in the stakeholders’ offices.
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9. Organize an internal ideation session with your colleagues on how you can convert the above mentioned insights into concrete actions for your research projects.
10. Share your learnings based on this article with others. But whatever you do, don’t print this article. There is enough waste by printing 38
already; instead, share digital snapshots of learnings and ideas with your network. We thus need to embrace change throughout all the phases of the research process. The technical landscape will continue to evolve, but even so, the true element that needs to change is our very own behavior, namely how we adapt alongside these changes to make our business future-proof. Today’s technology already allows to tackle all of the insight areas above described, but in reality we are too stubborn (or just not daring enough) to leave our comfort zone. It is clear that we need to start approaching things differently, starting today. We should disrupt or at least start trying.
REFERENCES Cicret. (2014). Cicret Bracelet. Retrieved from http://cicret.com/wordpress/ InSites Consulting. (2014). The Game of Context. InSites Consulting. (2015). Generational Research. JWT Intelligence. (2012). GenZ: Digital in their DNA. Retrieved from http://www.jwtintelligence.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/04/F_INTERNAL_ Gen_Z_0418122.pdf Mannheim K. (2009). The Sociological Problem of Generations. Essays on the Sociology of Knowledge. Retrieved from http://1989after1989.exeter.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/01_The_Sociological_Problem.pdf
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Microsoft. (2015). Attention spans. Retrieved from http://advertising.microsoft.com/en/ cl/31966/how-does-digital-affect-canadianattention-spans Route Du Soleil. (2010). Route du soleil. Retrieved from http://www.routedusoleil.org/rds Schillewaert, N., & Pallini, K. (2014). What do clients think about MR Impact. Greenbook. Retrieved from http://www.greenbookblog.org/2014/11/20/what-do-clients-think-about-mr-impact/ The Ocean Cleanup. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.theoceancleanup.com/ Walter, D. (1992). Today Then: America’s Best Minds Look 100 Years into the Future on the Occasion of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Farcountry Pr. West, K. (2013). Cinemablend. Retrieved from http://www.cinemablend.com/television/ Unsurprising-Netflix-Survey-Indicates-People-Like-Binge-Watch-TV-61045.html
I N S I T E S C O N S U LT I N G
THE AUTHORS Katia Pallini Research Innovation Manager InSites Consulting katia@insites-consulting.com
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Annelies Verhaeghe Managing Partner & Head of Innovations InSites Consulting annelies@insites-consulting.com Joeri Van den Bergh Co-founder & NextGen expert InSites Consulting joeri@insites-consulting.com
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I N S I T E S C O N S U LT I N G
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