Categories
Research Methodologies
July 16, 2010
Insight should be seen as a process, a way of working and thinking rather than merely an object that can be picked up and counted.
0
Nick Johnson (Volante Research) sparked some good debate with his “Insight is dead” article. Anthony Tasgal (POV, a brand, communications and training consultancy) fired back with “Insight –buried alive?” . Others weighed in, and now it’s Cambiar’s turn!
Both articles have great quotes, such as Nick’s “A two-hour meeting that consists of a researcher reading a deck of 80 PowerPoint charts and then fielding a few questions is a very poor way to turn research into decisions” (amen!). But he also says “Insight managers have so much information coming at them that insight itself has ceased to be an issue”, and here he is totally off the mark (IMHO). I like Anthony’s “Insight should be seen as a process, a way of working and thinking rather than merely an object that can be picked up and counted”.
What’s been missing from the debate is a framework to think about insight. I organize it into three parts:
What is Meaningful Insight?
I break this into four components:
The next two bullets make the insight meaningful
In other words, meaningful insight leads to a “holy s**t!” reaction from the client that changes the way the organization thinks and acts.
What are the Necessary Conditions for Insight?
What Practices Enhance Insight Productivity?
One final thought. If this sounds hard, it is! Meaningful insight doesn’t happen when it’s left to one person to do while crunching the PowerPoint deck. It’s a process, and it’s a team sport.
Disclaimer
The views, opinions, data, and methodologies expressed above are those of the contributor(s) and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official policies, positions, or beliefs of Greenbook.
Comments
Comments are moderated to ensure respect towards the author and to prevent spam or self-promotion. Your comment may be edited, rejected, or approved based on these criteria. By commenting, you accept these terms and take responsibility for your contributions.
More from Cambiar null
Automation is very much among us and here to stay. The big question is whether it is a help or a hindrance.
For years, the question of whether or not you can measure the Return on Research Investment (RoRI) has ebbed and flowed in popularity.
How quickly is change happening and what are corporate clients saying about the rate of change and their role in this new world?
Talent shortage? Could very well happen if the way in which we hire and train the people doesn’t keep pace with change.
Top in Quantitative Research
Why are we still measuring brand loyalty? It isn’t something that naturally comes up with consumers, who rarely think about brand first, if at all. Ma...
Sign Up for
Updates
Get content that matters, written by top insights industry experts, delivered right to your inbox.
67k+ subscribers