Research method
A research method is a systematic technique for collecting and analyzing data to answer a research question, such as a survey, an interview, an experiment or observation. Methods are grouped as quantitative, qualitative or mixed.
How it works
Quantitative methods measure with numbers: surveys with closed questions, experiments, analytics and structured observation, analyzed statistically. Qualitative methods explore meaning and reasons: interviews, focus groups, ethnography and open-ended data, analyzed by coding and interpretation. Mixed methods combine both in one design.
The research question decides the method. How many customers prefer a feature is a quantitative question; why they prefer it is qualitative. Researchers also weigh the stage of the work, the budget and time available, access to participants, and the level of evidence the decision needs. A method is distinct from a methodology, the overall rationale and design that justifies the choice.
A worked example
A retailer asks "Should we launch a subscription service?". The team chooses 3 methods in sequence: 20 interviews to understand what customers would want from one, a survey of 2,000 to size demand for the options they described, and a 6-week pilot in one region to measure actual sign-ups.
Related
Automate this in Pulse
Writing a Pulse brief starts where choosing a research method starts, with the question, before the audience and the areas are set.