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Advancing Market Research through AI:
Addressing Key Challenges in the Research Industry


Published: 11/07/2024

Ian Brocklehurst
EVP, Product and Marketing, Dynata
Article posted in the Greenbook Grit report

Largely driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), market research is undergoing a profound transformation. Over the past year, the integration of AI and ML has created demonstrable efficiency gains across the industry, underscoring the need for enhanced data quality and operational productivity across key areas.

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Addressing Data Quality Challenges

A critical concern is ensuring the integrity and reliability of primary data. With over 175 passively tracked behavioral indicators, Dynata’s proprietary QualityScore™ tool assesses data quality. Monitoring behaviors such as response speeding, straight-lining, and thoroughness of open-ended responses, it also analyzes passive indicators like mouse movement, survey acceleration, and typing speed.

This multifaceted approach enables QualityScore to detect sophisticated fraudulent behaviors and inattention traditional checks might miss. Notably, it differentiates between partial disengagement—an expected phenomenon in surveys—and complete disengagement, which significantly compromises data quality. This comprehensive methodology allows for a more accurate assessment of respondent attentiveness, thereby enhancing the overall reliability of the collected data.

Enhancing Survey Productivity

At Dynata, AI-driven ML models are used to match respondents to surveys for which they are most likely to qualify and complete – not only improving panel performance but also enhancing completion rates, leading to an overall increase in data quality. By streamlining respondent selection, researchers can gather more meaningful insights with greater efficiency.

Driving Operational Efficiency

The application of AI and ML extends beyond data collection to the entire research process. This enables repetitive tasks to be automated, enhancing data management and facilitating more insightful analysis. Dynata is actively investing in innovations such as auto-translation and AI-driven questionnaire-tosurvey scripting capabilities. These advancements promise to streamline operations, particularly in conducting multilanguage surveys, thus allowing researchers to engage a broader audience effectively.

Delivering Actionable Insights

Likely the most exciting aspect is the ability to derive new insights. With our new AI-chat capability (Quali-Quant AI), which integrates an inquisitive natural conversation agent with audience data, researchers can uncover nuanced insights that elucidate the underlying reasons behind consumer behaviors and attitudes. This results in high engagement levels—evidenced by a 99% participation rate in interviews— while enhancing response depth and yielding more thoughtful feedback and insights.

Conclusion

As market research continues to evolve, the integration of AI and ML presents an opportunity to address long-standing challenges in data quality, productivity, and operational efficiency. By embracing agile product management principles, organizations can adapt offerings in response to client feedback, fostering a collaborative environment that drives innovation. The advancements made by Dynata not only exemplify AI’s potential in market research but also set a standard for the industry. The continued exploration of these technologies will be essential in shaping the future of market research and ensuring its relevance in a data-driven world.