How do you follow standards and guidelines when conducting market research?

1 Know the purpose and scope of your research

Before you start collecting and analyzing data, you should have a clear and specific goal for your market research. What problem are you trying to solve? What questions are you trying to answer? What decisions are you trying to inform? Having a well-defined purpose and scope will help you design your research methodology, select your data sources, and measure your results. It will also help you avoid unnecessary or irrelevant data collection that may waste your time and resources, or violate the rights and interests of your participants.

3 Follow the principles of informed consent and voluntary participation

One of the most important ethical principles of market research is to respect the autonomy and dignity of your participants. This means that you should inform them about the purpose, nature, and duration of your research, the benefits and risks involved, the data collection and storage methods, and their rights to withdraw or decline participation at any time. You should also obtain their explicit and voluntary consent before collecting any data from them, and avoid any coercion, deception, or undue influence. You should also ensure that your participants are competent and capable of giving consent, and that you obtain parental or guardian consent for minors or vulnerable groups.

4 Protect the privacy and confidentiality of your participants and data

Another key ethical principle of market research is to protect the privacy and confidentiality of your participants and data. This means that you should only collect the data that is necessary and relevant for your research purpose, and that you store and handle it securely and responsibly. You should also anonymize or aggregate your data to prevent the identification of individual participants, and use encryption, passwords, or other methods to safeguard your data from unauthorized access or disclosure. You should also comply with the applicable laws and regulations regarding data protection and privacy, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union.

5 Avoid bias and manipulation in your data collection and analysis

Bias and manipulation are the enemies of market research, as they can distort the validity and reliability of your data and results. Bias can occur when you have a preconceived notion or expectation about your research outcome, and you consciously or unconsciously influence the data collection or analysis to confirm your hypothesis. Manipulation can occur when you intentionally or unintentionally alter, omit, or misrepresent the data or results to suit your agenda or interest. To avoid bias and manipulation, you should use objective and transparent methods and tools, and test your assumptions and hypotheses against the data. You should also acknowledge and disclose any potential sources of bias or manipulation, such as conflicts of interest, personal opinions, or external pressures.

6 Report and share your research findings honestly and accurately

The final step of market research is to report and share your research findings with your stakeholders, such as your team, your management, your clients, or your audience. When reporting and sharing your research findings, you should be honest and accurate, and avoid exaggerating, misinterpreting, or falsifying the data or results. You should also provide sufficient and relevant information, such as the research purpose, methodology, data sources, limitations, and implications. You should also respect the intellectual property and copyright of your data sources, and cite them properly. You should also seek feedback and criticism from your peers and experts, and be open to learning and improvement.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?