Summer has afforded me a little space to think about where we are in the world of qualitative research, and I took a look back to confirm my hunch. Here’s what I found: in 2019, 85% of the research I led was conducted in-person. Since 2020, only 7% of my work has been in-person.
From 85% to 7%: that’s a real shift, and it has been sustained through the first half of this year. It’s obvious, of course: this is a story of the lingering effects of Covid-19. Everyone ran inside in March of 2020, and some of us are only just beginning to go outside again.
I am definitely benefitting from the shift to online - or virtual - research. I spend much, much less time in airports. Most nights I sleep in my own bed. I can schedule interviews around other obligations like doctor’s appointments and oil changes. I am more available to friends and family. I can work from (almost) anywhere.
And clients are benefitting too. Most recruits for virtual work are national, making it easier to find unique populations. Clients and their agencies are traveling much less, resulting in lower project expenses. New technology offers many creative ways to engage respondents through online activities.
But do we know what we are missing?
In early June, a client approached me for a quick disaster-check study, where we showed respondents material for their feedback just before those materials went into production. I conducted nine in-person interviews and I relished the chance to sit in the same space with respondents. This little study was also an unexpected delight for another reason: I had forgotten the magic of the IRL backroom.
Relationships with clients and agency, which had been borne online, flourished during this in-person engagement.
We engaged actively with one another before, during, and after sessions.
We saw and understood what was working, debated revisions, and made changes on the fly.
When, on the third day, we left to catch trains and planes, we knew just what we had learned and what needed to be done.
I am not complaining that I travel much, much less these days. My dog and I are both thrilled that I am home just about every day, and I welcome virtual engagements. But I want more of the chaos and excitement of in-person work.
Let’s meet in another city and learn something together.