Research and insights
33 terms, explained one by one
Methods for researching needs, behaviours and markets. Includes study design, evidence gathering and synthesis to guide decisions.
A
B
C
- Concept testA concept test explores how an audience interprets and values a proposition before it is fully developed.
- Confirmation biasConfirmation bias is the tendency to seek out or interpret information in a way that favours a prior belief.
- Contextual inquiryA contextual inquiry combines conversation and observation while a person carries out activities in their usual environment.
D
- Desk researchDesk research analyses existing information to understand a topic and guide decisions or further research.
- Diary studyA diary study collects experiences recorded by participants over a period to study behaviour in context.
- Digital ethnographyDigital ethnography studies practices, relationships and meanings in environments mediated by digital technologies.
E
F
I
M
Q
R
- Research hypothesisA research hypothesis is a provisional explanation or expectation that can be tested against evidence.
- Research planA research plan defines which uncertainties are to be resolved and how evidence will be collected to do so.
- Research repositoryA research repository organises studies, evidence and learnings so they can be retrieved and used in later decisions.
- Research samplingSampling selects part of a population or set to obtain information relevant to a study.
- ResearchOpsResearchOps organises the people, processes and resources that make it possible to carry out research consistently and sustainably.
S
- Saturation in researchSaturation describes a situation in which data collection provides little new information with respect to a question and an analytical approach.
- Selection biasSelection bias occurs when the way participants or data are included distorts a study's conclusions.
- Sentiment analysisSentiment analysis estimates the evaluative orientation of a text, such as positive, negative or neutral.
- ShadowingShadowing is a research technique that observes a person while they carry out activities in their usual context.
- Social listeningSocial listening analyses digital conversations to understand relevant topics, needs and perceptions.
- SurveyA survey collects responses through structured questions to study the characteristics, opinions or experiences of a population.