GRIT

From the buyer perspective, the insights group increased its power as the gatekeeper for insights methodologies and suppliers. From the supplier perspective, however, there’s more than one gate and a variety of gatekeepers. How centralized is insights work and what does that mean for insights managers and for how well the business understands its markets? (B&I)

In addition to research projects, insights professionals invest in technology and staff and make choices between taking work in-house and outsourcing it. With the ever-increasing demand for faster projects that cost less, what mix of staff, automation, and outsourcing provides the right balance across speed, cost, and quality for you? (IP)

Buyer-side insights professionals are cautiously optimistic about the potential for AI-enabled solutions. Some are trying it out personally, others are using it professionally, and most expect the latest technology to find its way into their products. How receptive are businesses to using AI for insights work and where do they expect it to have the most impact? (B&I)

Recently, the insights industry had shown signs of shaking off the effects of the pandemic, but current trends indicate fresh suffering. Insights professionals on both the buyer and supplier sides are having more trouble meeting their goals. Are your business and career vulnerable to these trends or is there a silver lining? (B&I, IP)

Stakeholders are demanding research that is completed more quickly and for less money, but may be losing focus on the necessities that give research its credibility and value. What can you do to help your clients make their case for good research (which will also help your company maintain margins)? (B&I)

If a method is unfamiliar to you and it is important to clients and potential employers, it doesn’t matter how new it is to anyone else, you’ll still want to add it to your skill set. In this discussion, GRIT provides you with the context you need to make decisions about which methodologies to explore next. (IP)

Everyone’s talking about generative AI, but AI entered our lives well before ChatGPT. Some experiences with it have been generally positive while others have been negative, but most insights professionals seem to be aware of its risk factors. When you advocate for your insights teams to adopt AI (or against it), what arguments are you likely to need to make in order to establish your case? (B&I)

You may already be tired of hearing about topics like storytelling, Big Data, or AI, but perhaps they’d be more relevant with more context. Understanding why certain topics are popular may help you connect your dots in a way that helps you define opportunities you merely suspected were there. Which are merely "buzzwords" and which are topics that deserve their "buzz"? (IP)

Recently, the insights industry had shown signs of shaking off the effects of the pandemic, but current trends indicate fresh suffering. Insights professionals on both the buyer and supplier sides are having more trouble meeting their goals. Are your business and career vulnerable to these trends or is there a silver lining? (B&I, IP)

Suppliers of all types expect to add new AI technology to their offerings, but very few anticipate a serious threat from competitors introducing similar. Signs on the supplier side generally point to an inevitability of AI adoption even though they are well aware of the risks. Can you explain some of these apparent contradictions or are insights professionals genuinely conflicted? (B&I)

Ever-increasing stakeholder demands for faster and cheaper research carries a double-whammy for suppliers: it makes it hard to deliver business value, and it puts them at the mercy of no-frills competitors who get away with not delivering value. What are the forces in play that make it difficult for suppliers to maintain margin and revenue, and what can you do to change this narrative? (B&I)

The sizes and composition of our six “big bucket” supplier segments continue to churn as suppliers create new service combinations and market trends favor some more than others. Although full-service research was strengthened as a revenue stream due to increased project management outsourcing during the pandemic, fewer suppliers want to position themselves so generically. How are suppliers adding and subtracting services and evolving their positioning, and what does it mean for you? (B&I, IP)