Mixed Method Research

The depth of qualitative.
The scale of quantitative.

Mixed method research is what we do best. We custom-design multiphase studies that use qualitative techniques to get you as close as possible to your consumer, their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and habits, then validate what we find at quantitative scale, giving you a complete picture you can act on with clarity.

20+ Years of research experience
3 Phases in a single study
100% Custom-designed studies

The insight that gives you
the why and the how many.

No single methodology tells the whole story. Qualitative research uncovers the motivations and emotions behind consumer behavior. Quantitative research measures how many have those behaviors and attitudes. Mixed method studies are designed to do both, illuminating a complete picture that neither approach alone can deliver.

We get creative with how we combine techniques. A typical study might begin with an online bulletin board with mobile ethnographies to capture in-the-moment consumer behavior across geographically diverse markets, then move into in-depth interviews with the most insightful participants, and conclude with a quantitative survey to measure what we found at scale. We design the right combination for your specific objective, and no two studies look exactly the same.

A stat tells you what's happening. A conversation tells you why. We give you both.

These studies can be designed as one-time engagements or as longitudinal programs that track change over time.

Mixed method research is the right choice when you need to:
  • Capture in-context learning from a geographically dispersed audience and also quantify the behaviors and practices you observe
  • Explore new concept ideas qualitatively before moving into quantitative testing to measure how broadly appealing they might be
  • Get qualitative feedback on the purchase journey or advertising, then follow with a quantitative study to measure awareness and quantify behaviors
  • Build a category-level understanding of the why, then validate and measure it at a national scale
  • Understand how a specific audience feels about your brand and confirm whether those sentiments are widely shared
  • Make a major business decision that requires both consumer empathy and data you can defend

Each phase is designed
to build on the previous.

We don't bolt methodologies together. We sequence them intentionally so that each phase informs the next. The qualitative phase tells us what to measure. The quantitative phase tells us how widely it's true. And where the research calls for it, a third phase goes deeper on what the numbers surfaced.

Phase One
Qualitative Exploration

We start close to the consumer, using qualitative techniques to understand the motivations, emotions, and behaviors that drive decisions. This phase gives us the language, the themes, and the hypotheses that inform everything that follows.

Common formats Online bulletin boards with mobile ethnography assignments, in-person or video focus groups, in-depth interviews
Phase Two
Quantitative Validation

With the qualitative foundation in place, we design a survey instrument built around what actually matters to consumers, in language that resonates. The quantitative phase validates the qualitative findings and measures them at scale.

Common formats Online surveys, concept testing, brand tracking, segmentation, attitude and usage studies
Phase Three (Optional)
Deep-Dive Follow-Up

When the quantitative data surfaces new questions, a follow-up qualitative phase lets us go deeper. In-depth interviews with selected participants bring the numbers to life and surface the nuance that scale alone can't capture.

Common formats In-depth interviews with bulletin board participants, follow-up focus groups, additional mobile ethnography

Kevin has a unique ability to take complex, ambiguous research objectives and design studies that get to the real answer. The insights he's delivered have directly shaped product decisions and campaign strategy.

Carissa Luch  ·  Former Retail & Shopper Insights Manager, Nestlé

Ready to get the full picture
and know what to do with it?

Whether you have a well-defined research question or you're still figuring out the right approach, let's talk about your objectives. We'll help you determine whether a mixed method design is right for your study — and exactly how to structure it.

Let's Discuss