Qualitative insights
Qualitative insights are the findings drawn from qualitative research, such as interviews, observation and open-ended answers, that explain why people think and behave as they do, stated clearly enough to guide a decision.
How it works
A qualitative insight goes beyond summarizing what participants said. It identifies a pattern across people, explains the reason behind it and states what it means for the business. "Several people mentioned the price" is an observation; "Customers accept the price but resent paying it before seeing any value, so they churn in month 1" is an insight.
Insights come from careful analysis: coding transcripts, comparing across participants, testing interpretations against the data and checking for counterexamples. Their credibility rests on evidence, which is why strong reports cite quotes and state how many participants each insight rests on, without implying statistical precision.
A worked example
A gym chain interviews 24 members who quit in their first 3 months. Of those 24, 15 joined for a specific goal, such as a wedding or a race, and left once it passed. The chain tests a "next goal" program that sets a new target in the member's final month before the event.
Related
Automate this in Pulse
Strong reports state how many participants each qualitative insight rests on, and the quotes grouped under a Pulse theme let a researcher count them before the claim is written.