Understanding the Difference Between Quantitative and Qualitative Fieldwork
Fieldwork research methods writ large can be basically divided into quantitative vs qualitative research. The difference between quantitative vs qualitative fieldwork turns on the kinds of questions that each one of them addresses. Here we’ll take a look at those differences and how these market research methodologies can create value for your company.
What Is Quantitative Fieldwork?
Quantitative fieldwork methods are aimed at finding insights on measurable, quantifiable phenomena that correspond to specific events or actions. As for when to use quantitative research, that is most likely for questions that can be phrased with Where? When? and How much? (E.g. How much money does a typical household spend on fast-moving consumer goods?). Quantitative fieldwork methods usually involve replicable experimental measurement environments so that researchers can extract data on the specific demographic trends and/or phenomena they are interested in and compare samples. Quantitative fieldwork research methods all have the goal of collecting precise, measurable data that can be subjected to statistical analysis.
What Is Qualitative Fieldwork?
Qualitative fieldwork methods, on the other hand, find ways of describing behaviors, feelings, motivations and points of view. Deciding when to use qualitative research design hinges on whether the variable can be straightforwardly expressed in numbers or if the matter at issue involves subjective experience involving buyer feelings or perception (the latter case being a time for qualitative fieldwork methods). Fieldwork research methods in qualitative research tend to involve interviews, focus groups and real-world observations, with the aim of identifying and recording attitudes and behaviors.
When to Choose Quantitative Fieldwork
While there certainly are circumstances where mixed methodology research is the way to go, most market research methodologies can be divided into quantitative vs qualitative fieldwork. Let’s take a look at when you might want your market research partner to opt for qualitative research vs quantitative research.
Measuring Behaviors and Trends
When to use quantitative research can be decided by the need to identify what people do (as opposed to what they say they will do), and quantitative fieldwork methods can provide that insight. Sales figures might show that customers value various products or features, and quantitative fieldwork methods track their purchasing behaviors to find trends in the sales data. Quantitative market research methods also find out if customer actions line up with opinions given in the course of qualitative research methods such as focus groups.
Gathering Statistically Valid Data
Quantitative research methods produce numerical data that can be used for comparisons and statistical analysis. The need to determine statistical significance among data is a big factor in deciding between qualitative research vs quantitative research. Likewise, quantitative market research methodologies involve capturing statistically representative samples, eliminating extreme or unusual data points and other steps to ensure that the data are an accurate reflection of the population and phenomena your firm is interested in.
Supporting Strategic and Market-Sizing Decisions
The question of when to use quantitative research methods might be answered by the need to make strategic decisions in the market. Part of the divide between quantitative vs qualitative research more broadly is that qualitative fieldwork methods might capture stated preferences (what customers say they like), but quantitative fieldwork methods will indicate revealed preferences (what customers actually spend money on). Quantitative market research methodologies thus provide clear indications about what products and features drive the most customers and what parts of your offer should be bolstered, deemphasized or eliminated.
When to Choose Qualitative Fieldwork
As for when to use qualitative research methods, those are often called for when the research topic is hard to put numbers on and turns on tastes, judgements and preferences particular to each customer.
Understanding Motivations and Deep Insights
As to when to use qualitative research, understanding buyer motivations and the reasons that underpin their thinking is often the guiding concern. Qualitative market research methodologies are a good fit for this subject matter area because it is often difficult to assign numerical values to variables like personal preference, underlying motivations and personal reasons for action.
Exploring Customer Experience and Perception
The choice between quantitative vs qualitative research tilts towards qualitative market research methodologies when the questions are about exploring customer experience and how they perceive products and services. Qualitative fieldwork research methods get at the heart of what buyers mean when they offer subjective or flexible descriptions of experiences. Consider the example of describing a consumer product such as a frying pan as “heavy.” This is when to use quantitative research, in order to find the positive or negative values behind that customer experience – some customers might prefer a heavy frying pan because it stays in place on the stovetop, and other customers might dislike a heavy pan because they cannot comfortably lift it.
Generating Concepts and Hypotheses
Another sensible moment for when to use qualitative fieldwork methods is at the creation stage of new concepts for your brand’s products and services and when looking for explanations for market trends. Classic business advice – independent of the entire quantitative vs qualitative research debate – is “serve a market that is not being served”, and qualitative market research methodologies help identity those gaps in the market. Qualitative fieldwork methods such as interviews and focus groups give buyers a space to express what they want, and brands can use those insights to generate new products, features or services, and find explanations for buyer behaviors.
How to Combine Both Approaches Effectively
When to use qualitative research and when to use quantitative research does not have to be a binary with no overlap. Market research methodologies often combine the approaches to draw on the strengths of each of the fieldwork research methods and capture holistic insights. Let’s take a look at how to combine them, so it doesn’t have to be quantitative vs qualitative fieldwork, but rather a tailored, mixed methodology research approach.
Sequential Research Models (Qual → Quant or Quant → Qual)
Mixed methodology research that runs in a sequence is a common option. Rather than an either-or quantitative vs qualitative fieldwork choice, the first step is often a deployment of qualitative fieldwork methods to find out what customers are asking for so that you can develop products or services to meet those needs. Once the product/service is ready, implementing quantitative fieldwork methods (though this can also be a moment for when to use qualitative research such as focus groups) can see if the desired changes in buyer perception and purchasing have happened. As for when to use qualitative research methods again, that can be in the final stage when it is time to evaluate the deployed product/service and see how it can be adapted to different market segments or environments.
Mixed-Method Designs for Holistic Insights
Mixed methodology research gives a more complete picture of the population of interest. Combining market research methodologies balances out the limitations of a purely quantitative research vs qualitative research approach, and provides stronger evidence and more confidence in findings. Likewise, a properly deployed blend of qualitative fieldwork methods and quantitative fieldwork methods can give you more granular insights on buyer attitudes and behaviors, and how your brand can respond to consumer demands.
Ensuring Consistency Across Methodologies
Ensuring consistency in mixed methodology research is key to ensuring that the qualitative fieldwork methods and the quantitative fieldwork methods yield data that address the research questions in complementary ways. This is ensured by doing a lot of preparation for fieldwork research methods before any instruments are deployed. Researchers and data collectors should be properly trained, everyone involved in the project needs clear instructions and protocols, and research conditions should be standardized to the extent possible, no matter if the study is qualitative research vs quantitative research.
Choosing the Right Approach for Your Research Goals
When deciding between qualitative research vs. quantitative research – or a mixed methodology research approach that combines them – there are a few things to keep in mind. A partner who is well-versed in market research methodologies will do the work to understand what your brand is building and what insights you need. From there, the choice of when to use qualitative research or when to use quantitative research becomes clearer. There are times when quantitative fieldwork methods are the better option (e.g. identifying trends and cause-and-effect relationships) and others when qualitative fieldwork methods are the way to go (e.g. understanding subjective experiences). These considerations will guide the choice between quantitative vs qualitative fieldwork.
FAQ’s
We are happy to answer questions about quantitative vs qualitative fieldwork and mixed methodology research. Here are some of the most common inquiries we get.
1) How do I know which method suits my project?
The decision between quantitative vs qualitative research depends on the kinds of questions you need answered. If you are looking for insight about buyer thought processes and subjective customer perceptions, then qualitative fieldwork methods are probably the way to go. On the other hand, if your questions can be answered with specific numbers, or are looking at correlations between specific variables, then quantitative fieldwork methods are likely to be the more suitable option.
2) Can qualitative and quantitative fieldwork be run simultaneously?
Yes, mixed methodology research is a common modality for finding market insights. The question of qualitative research vs quantitative research does not have to be an either-or binary. Many projects run qualitative fieldwork methods and quantitative fieldwork methods simultaneously in mixed methodology research. Concurrent market research methodologies are usually deployed when a brand needs data from the same limited timeframe and there is a premium on capturing all data types all at once.
3) What type of sample size is needed for each method?
One of the iron laws of fieldwork research methods of all kinds is that the sample in a study needs to be representative. While there is not a single threshold in fieldwork research methods to calculate optimal sample size, it should be large enough to accurately represent the population of interest. This is true no matter if the experimental design is qualitative research vs quantitative research. Qualitative fieldwork methods, quantitative fieldwork methods and mixed methodology research all require that the groups of interest be adequately represented to make sure that the results are not skewed or represent a fluke in data collection.
4) Does combined research increase costs and timelines?
Unlikely. An external partner with experience in market research methodologies will know how to plan and execute qualitative fieldwork methods as well as quantitative fieldwork methods so that projects are finished on time and on budget. Critically, the expertise of a partner who knows when to use qualitative research methods and when to use quantitative research methods – and how to combine them in mixed methodology research – will represent the best opportunity to maximize ROI because a dedicated firm like ESR Research knows how to avoid pitfalls and make sure that your firm gets the insights it needs from market research methodologies.
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