During the process of market research, data collection is among the steps you take.
What is Data Collection?
Data collection is an organized way of compiling and measuring data collected from various sources to get answers to significant questions.
It is also defined as the method of using approved techniques to collect, measure, and analyze statistics for research.
Methods of Data Collection
Generally, the method of data collection has been grouped into two. Primary and secondary data collection. Primary data collection involves using surveys and communicating with selected people for reviews. Secondary data collection involves getting data from public sources, commercial sources, and internal sources.
1. Interviews
Interviews entail questioning selected individuals to get personalized feedback. There are three types of interviews.
- Structured Interview: The interviewer follows the set questions without the aim of deviation. This is a formal type of interview.
- Semi-structured Interview: The interviewer may deviate from the set questions to get additional information from the interviewee.
- Unstructured Interview: There is no particular structure for the interviewer. The interviewer is spontaneous with the questions. It is regarded as an informal interview.
2. Survey
With surveys, you get data by administering questionnaires. It can be either paper-based or online-based. You can use google forms or other survey platforms to conduct an online-based survey. Data are easily analyzed.
3. Observation
This type of data collection involves monitoring participants in their natural environment without necessarily interacting with them. With this, you can gather data on the participants’ behavior and attitude. You can’t predict the outcome of the data, so there won’t be room for biases.
4. Focus Groups
Focus group data collection involves interviewing, observing, and surveying. You do this by grouping a set of people who share the similarities you are looking for, to represent your target market. Then ask open-ended questions to get the information you want.
5. Documents/Records
This is when you go through saved documents/records of an organization to collect data. Doing this will give you a better understanding of your organization.
6. Published Texts
This is when you refer to published documents made available publicly to collect data. It could be from online published articles, magazines/newspapers, government/private reports.
Before you start data collection
- Compile a list of people to interview.
- Seek permision from them to grant you interviews.
- Come up with relevants questions.
- Set a date for the interview and conduct it.
After data collection, analyze the data and repeat the process over and over again.
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