WINTER ARCHIVES

Travelwise

“Buen Camino” to Our Milestone Pilgrimage 85 Miles of Learning and Reflecting from the Camino de Santiago

December 19, 2025 0

Two seasoned qualitative researchers turn an 85-mile journey on Spain’s Camino de Santiago into a powerful lens on reflection, connection, and the craft of insight. Blending ancient pilgrimage traditions with modern research sensibilities, they uncover lessons about traveling light—both physically and mentally. Their week-long trek is a story of movement, meaning, and the surprising clarity that emerges when we step away to walk with intention. […]

Quant Lens

Demystifying Pricing Research

December 19, 2025 0

Most companies set prices by looking at history, or even key competitors, and hope for the best. But a price that is set too low leaves revenue behind, while a price set too high risks rejection and share loss. This article shows how blending qualitative insights with quantitative tools reveals the attributes that can justify a premium, reduce resistance, and keep pricing decisions grounded in customer reality. […]

Industry Focus

When Grocery Shoppers Say One Thing but Buy Another A Qualitative Research Approach to Decoding Clean Eating Contradictions

December 19, 2025 0

Research expert Carly Fink presents an innovative qualitative framework for understanding the complex contradictions between a consumer’s stated desires for clean, sustainable grocery products and their actual purchasing behaviors. Drawing from extensive industry experience, she provides actionable methodologies, including System 1 techniques, ethnographic interviews, and journey mapping to help brands build authentic trust. Readers will learn practical strategies for designing research that capture real-life decision-making contexts and translating consumer insights into business solutions that align stated values with shopping cart reality. […]

Global

MALE IN THE MIDDLE: Understanding the untold story of middle-class men in Indian households

December 19, 2025 0

India’s urban middle-class men—one of the country’s most influential yet increasingly misunderstood consumer groups—are undergoing a profound identity renegotiation shaped by feminism, changing family structures, shifting career paths, and fast-evolving media narratives. This article uncovers the complex tensions shaping their lives. For brands and researchers, this segment’s layered psyche represents an urgent—and largely untapped—opportunity. This piece offers a rich, insight-packed roadmap for anyone seeking to understand or influence India’s evolving male consumer. […]

Book Reviews

TALK: The Science of Conversation and the Art of Being Ourselves

December 19, 2025 0

Author Alison Wood Brooks describes why the art of conversation is difficult for so many of us. Whether you’re a skilled moderator or a student seeking your first job, conversing is difficult. Learn about Brooks’ ‘TALK’ strategy: topic choosing, asking more/better questions, levity when understanding someone’s story, and kindness—which will inspire your future conversations. […]

Business Matters

The Growth Mindset: Building a Lifelong Learning Toolkit for Qualitative Researchers

December 19, 2025 0

In her comprehensive guide to lifelong learning for qualitative practitioners, Amy Spencer argues that researchers must invest in their own development with the same curiosity and rigor they bring to studying consumers. She reframes “learning” as a multidimensional practice—blending passive inputs, hands-on experimentation, and the incidental lessons gained through real-world project work with a curated toolkit. She also highlights how online communities and industry conferences keep researchers plugged into emerging trends and new methodologies. […]

Conference

2026 QRCA Annual Conference – Where Qualitative Research Professionals Thrive

December 19, 2025 0

Join QRCA February 2–5, 2026 in San Antonio for an unforgettable annual conference at the Westin San Antonio North. This year’s location offers easy access to the Texas Hill Country and downtown’s blend of cowboy heritage and vibrant Mexican culture. Explore historic missions, lively markets, authentic cuisine, and the River Walk while connecting with fellow researchers. From rodeos and Western art to Tex-Mex feasts and German Hill Country traditions, San Antonio is the perfect backdrop for learning, networking, and a uniquely Texas experience. […]

Luminaries

How Getty Images Uses Data-Driven Insights to Shape Visual Culture with Dr. Rebecca Swift

December 17, 2025 0

Dr. Rebecca Swift shares how research and data-driven insights shape the future of visual content. She explains the evolution of Getty’s Visual GPS methodology, which blends content analysis, semiotics, and consumer data to drive representation and authenticity in imagery. Swift also discusses the impact of AI-generated content, the shifting trust in digital visuals, and Getty’s approach to responsible AI tools. This conversation highlights the power of qualitative research in predicting trends and influencing visual storytelling in advertising and media. […]