It starts with listening. Sure, all consultants say that, but for us it really is fundamental. That’s because we’re not trying to plug an off-the-shelf solution into your institution’s unique circumstances and goals. Our research is custom-designed to meet each client’s particular challenges, from the methodologies we develop to the questions we ask your audiences.
What are we listening for? The answers to four critical questions about your research needs, which we codify in the form of a Project Pyramid™ for each engagement.
The context in which the research will take place.
to help the institution achieve those goals?
from — your audiences in order to
achieve those objectives?
your audiences? How will we ask
the questions in our study?
As the arrows suggest, once we understand the institutional context and your objectives for the research, we can begin to identify the internal questions the research must answer and then translate these into effective external language for the research protocols—questionnaires, interview guides, ethnographic instruments, etc.
Along with the Project Pyramid™, we develop a detailed project plan and timeline to guide our work from kickoff meeting to presentation of findings. As our long-term clients know, we’re not just big-picture thinkers. We also keep the details in view and the lines of communication open.
