Do-It-Yourself Research: The ACDT Syndrome

Do-it-yourself research is reflective of the "Anyone Can Do That" syndrome. Applying this attitude to different situations results in varying risk factors. How does it affect market research?

Business executives and marketers who are wise will not rush headlong into a new product launch or communications campaign with scanty market intelligence; they will conduct some kind of research. This could be consumer research, a study among industrial users, other business executives, or professionals.

After the decision to conduct research, there may be another fork in the road: some people will hire a professional research firm or consultant (often through competitive bidding) while others will choose to execute the research effort in-house, sometimes using inexperienced personnel.

Ostensibly, this second choice is driven by cost considerations but I believe a more insidious attitude is at work. It’s the “Anyone Can Do That” (ACDT) syndrome.

The ACDT Syndrome affects a number of skills and processes. Its underlying philosophy denies the idea that there is a professional competency and even talent that differentiates one provider from another. I think most people are subject to this kind of thinking at various times, and for various situations. Plumbing? Gardening? Interviewing? Writing a questionnaire? Preparing ad copy? Performing an appendectomy? Ultimately, it depends on whether one knows the difference between a professionally done job and one that is amateurish, and the risks associated with the latter.

What happens when a given consumer or customer is not able to perceive the differences between brands—in this case, providers of a given business service? They are unable to understand that an in-house job might as well be an out-house job.

Sometimes we must point out that, in fact, there is a difference between research conducted by a member of the marketing department who may not have much experience in this discipline and one conducted by a firm or consultant with lots of training and experience. The experienced researcher can provide a number of benefits:

• Sampling that will produce reliable survey results Questions that are worded unambiguously
• Response selections that are clear and run the spectrum of possible answers
• Attributes that are appropriate for the specific research objectives, and that are framed in the proper syntax
• Perhaps most importantly, independent, unbiased analyses

Recently, I wrote about the risks of not conducting research at all. In the case of the ACDT Syndrome, the risk is even greater. If a company does no research at all, it is not going “gentle into that good night” (apologies to Dylan Thomas); it is flying blind, but at least no money was spent. A company that attempts DIY research is spending some money (sometimes, a few thousand dollars), believing the results are valid, and possibly making a big mistake.

So the next time you are tempted to “do it yourself,” think about whether you would fix your car, design and execute an ad campaign, or go into court by yourself. Some folks do, and nothing awful happens. Then there’s everyone else. In which group will you end up?

Ann D. Middleman is a Principal at ADM Marketing & Research Consulting. Contact her at [email protected].