A million years ago, my default username was "roadwarriormom." In those days, my suitcase was almost always in one of two stages: being packed or being unpacked.
So many things changed this, most prominently the dual factors of the pandemic and the rise of technologies that allowed for really effective virtual qual. I've happily adapted to this new world. But I've also craved what travel inevitably brings: the excitement of being somewhere new, the ability to engage with strangers in the same physical space, the odd and peaceful silence of a hotel room.
In the past four years, I have flown only a handful of times, most of them personal trips. This year will be different; it already is.
I'm heading home now after four days in Denver attending the annual QRCA conference, where I reconnected with old friends in the moderating space and learned about new tools and methods to bring to my work. Despite enduring four days of altitude sickness (not a trivial inconvenience!) it was an energizing and intense few days where I basked in the generosity of my moderating peers.
Next up: vacation (yay!), actual in-person focus groups at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas, and a speaker spot at the Quirk's conference in London in May.
I'm particularly excited about that last one. Returning to London is a dream come true, and I am taking some extra time to explore Stockport, the area in Manchester where my mother was raised.
But also, I am looking forward to my presentation: Being Human: How to Traverse Highly Emotional Territory in Qualitative Research. I will be focusing on the work that I find the most interesting and rewarding: research that invites respondents to share deep feelings and difficult experiences, to better inform brands about their audiences and identify meaningful ways for them to connect.
If you have research like this in the pipeline for the coming year, please reach out. In this most technological of times, let's connect on the most human work possible.