ISO publishes global access panel standard

GLOBAL-- The international quality standard for online and offline access panels was published today after three years in development.

ISO 26362:2009 provides definitions and guidelines for good practice in panel research, covering areas such as the recruitment and validation of panellists, and the size and profile of panels.

Hopes are that the uptake of the standard will help make it easier for research buyers to assess the quality of the numerous panels currently in use in the marketplace.

Online panel quality in particular has been the subject of much debate in recent months, with concerns over multiple panel membership, fraudulent respondents, response rates and representativness raising questions about the robustness of results.

Erich Wiegand, the head of German research association ADM and convenor of the ISO working group that developed the standard, said: “[It] will encourage potential clients to take advantage of this innovative way of carrying out research, which is best suited to modern needs. It will also help researchers make the most of their resources to achieve consistent results.”

Although the ISO boasts that the standard “provides a lot more than just the bare minimum requirements for good research practice”, research associations in various countries are already committed to establishing tougher rules for their own individual markets.

First out of the blocks was Australia with its Quality Standard for Online Access Panels, while the US is expected to follow soon with the Association Collaborative Effort, a joint effort of five industry bodies to develop guidelines and metrics for online panel research.

The ISO access panel standard can be ordered online here.

Author: Brian Tarran

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