At a time when companies have more data at their disposal than ever before, the added value and necessity of qualitative research is being pushed further and further into the background. However, research shows that purely data-based decisions also exclude people as a decisive variable: while 80% of corporate decision-makers believe they know the needs of their customers, only 8% of consumers have the same impression. In order to understand not only the ‘what’, but also the “how” and ‘why’, we need to conduct direct and personal interviews. Because while AI focuses on individual data points, customers are primarily looking for a holistic impression and want to experience the story behind a brand. In order to better understand these needs and perhaps also generate surprising results, qualitative research is not just a ‘stopgap solution’, but essential to give people the feeling of really being heard.
In the ADM webinar as part of the ‘Understanding Data’ series, Ines Imdahl explains in an impressive and focussed manner why qualitative research is still important in the age of AI, perhaps even more important than ever, and what we would be missing without it. You can find the video on the topic here.