Remarkable Research Requires a Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Remarkable research requires assessing every completed market research activity. What worked? What didn’t? Were the clients (whether internal or external) satisfied? Were outside suppliers satisfactory? One way to do this is through a “post mortem” evaluation of the research process.
- After each project, conduct an objective, step-by-step review to find opportunities for improvement. After that, create an at-a-glance reference for next time.
- Tip 1: Quickly capture post mortem information, preferably within a week of project completion before memory fade sets in.
- Tip 2: Craft a standard project assessment form to make it easy for you and team members to record key information. Just don’t make it onerous (else it won’t get used). 4-6 questions is sufficient.
- Tip 3: Review all assessment forms at least once a year to look for recurring challenges (or if you prefer, “opportunities for improvement”). Sometimes these trends are not so obvious during day-to-day project management.
[This is the second article in a series of 20 mini-posts titled, “Principles of Remarkable Research.” Don’t want to miss this series? Subscribe to our blog via email or RSS.]
