Market Research Software I Wish I Had

By Jason Anderson

A quick note to the software entrepreneurs out there: there are lots of software technologies that would really help me create some kick-ass research insights. Unfortunately, nobody has built them yet (or if they have, they haven’t reached my inbox). If I’ve missed something obvious I would love to get pointers in the right direction.

• Data visualization. Give me some really awesome charting and data visualization tools with real-time dynamic links to multiple data sources. Yes, I have tried Tableau…it’s the closest to what I’m talking about, but I need an IT department to support it. The templatized output from DIY survey systems lack power and finesse. Current plugins for Excel or PowerPoint are static data representations. Weave is cool, but requires Flash. R is powerful…like a chainsaw, but with 72 levers and it comes out looking like a PhD thesis paper.
• Choice modeling made easy. Integrate choice modeling into DIY survey systems. Yes, I can purchase Sawtooth Software and create / export / field / import / analyze but that seems like a lot of work.
• Instant mobile polling. Give me a cheap, fast, scalable way to show stimuli to people who are on-the-go (or just walking around their house with a smartphone) and let me ask them one question. Don’t make them send a text message to an obscure number they won’t remember; do something clever with QR codes or a smartphone app.
• Automation. I run awareness & intent studies. These are basically the same process over and over, replacing “product A” with “product B.” I also do pricing studies, marketing mix modeling, etc., etc. Templatize the research studies that form 80% of what we do, boil it down to its essence, and automate the bejeezus out of it. Give me a reporting dashboard that Google Analytics would envy.

I have another idea or two, but I’m saving those for myself. I also reserve the right to steal back any of the above ideas if all you entrepreneurs don’t act fast enough!

To the research agencies: many of you have built some infrastructure related to the above points. You might make a lot more money if you productize that technology and share it with the masses.