Discovery’s new associate director on the joy of quant

You’re a quant man – but with all the attention being paid to listening in to social media sites and finding new ways to draw insight from respondents, is there a danger that the traditional survey can get overlooked?
Social media and co-creation are buzzwords of the moment, but I think it’s horses for courses really. In my opinion there’ll always be a need for robust, representative quant research. But as researchers we shouldn’t be afraid to embrace new technologies and forms of communicating as soon as they emerge as a potential force. The more ways we, and our clients, have of engaging with customers and the public, the more receptive organisations can be to responding to their audiences’ needs. I think the biggest potential contribution social media has to make to research is as a respondent base. Facebook is potentially a ready-made panel of half a billion respondents which, given the right circumstances, could be harnessed by clients and researchers alike.

What do you see as the next big development within quant research?
With the dawning of the ‘age of austerity’, all clients – and that goes for those in the private sector as well as the public sector – will be looking to get more value for money, but that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily be wanting to cut corners. I think that with the ever-growing number of DIY research tools out there, as researchers we’re going to have to justify our existence more than ever. But at the same time I do wonder if some companies will revert to more robust, ‘less risky research’ as it were, that does what it’s supposed to.

How did you get into market research?
I’d always had a curiosity for understanding why people behave the way they do, and make the choices they make in life, be it for work or fun. As an undergraduate I did a bit of telephone interviewing work – and this was pre-CATI days – where I first realised that market research could be a viable career choice. I then joined NOP Research on their graduate scheme, which gave me a fantastic grounding in all aspects of research.

How would you persuade a young person today to embark on a career within research?
I’d tell them about the all the opportunities open to the young researcher, if they’re not afraid to take them. I was lucky enough to have client contact from almost day one and get involved in a wide range of projects and responsibilities – from questionnaire writing, to briefing interviewers, to presenting parts of debriefs. I’d also tell them about how rewarding it can be when you see your findings make an impact, however small. There’s also a great MRS qualification course. Not many careers offer so much right from the start.

If you had the chance is there anything in your career that you would do differently?
I’d probably have followed my intuition and been a bit braver earlier on. One of the best pieces of advice a line manager once gave me was don’t be afraid to follow your instincts. If it feels right, and you think you can justify it, then go for it.