Curio Research Quarterly Vol. 20
Hey Curio Friends! Q1 was busy, and Q2 is going well so far. I’ve got an opening for a new project in May if you have research needs. On with the show!
Business
Work
Since I last wrote, I finished a concept testing job for a provincially owned organization on behalf of Spatial Research & Design. The client was merging multiple properties onto a single sign-on, and they wanted to know how current customers would react to the system. In the end, they reacted very well to most of the concepts, and we identified the source of the resistance to the other login concepts.
From there, I took a break to attend the QRCA Annual Conference, and then I started working on a small business-to-business project for a new client, Freedonia. They only wanted me to interview three people who did a specific job for grocery retailers. They provided the discussion guide, I only had to find the people, complete the interviews, and turn in the recordings and the transcript. Finding the three people was more of a challenge than anticipated. My typical small-scale B2B participant recruiting process was a bust. I sent many invitations but received no responses, so I brought in the big guns - a recruiting agency specializing in B2B recruiting, Zintro. They stepped in at the last minute and found two excellent participants but couldn’t find a third that the client was satisfied with. While I wouldn’t call the project a complete success, the was satisfied with the two interviews I provided.
While working on that, I also did a secondary research project for a local advertising agency, Wasserman + Partners. They were preparing to pitch a provincially owned organization (different than the one for Spatial) and wanted insights on customer behavior and approaches to influencing said behavior. It’s been a while since I’ve done any brand strategy work, but I was able to fall back into it pretty easily. I provided some trend data, interpretations of current ad strategies, and best practices for mass behavior modification. We’ll see what they need from me as the pitch progresses.
Now I’m working for Kalamuna again. I’m doing a part 2 study for the same civic transit client I worked on last quarter. I noticed during the usability test that people were navigating more by memory than intuition and suggested doing a card sort to see how people who would use the system categorize and label information on the product and service. If all goes well, there will be either better navigation labels for how the information is currently categorized or a fundamental change in the site’s current information architecture. Stay tuned for my next installment to find out what happened.
After that, I’m free. So if you have a project you’re preparing for May, hit me up. I’ll probably be able to take it on.
Leadership
The QRCA board had its strategy meeting for 2023, and we walked away with a solid trajectory for the next three years. The current president set some ambitious goals, and the board worked together to find ways to meet them, starting with research to fully understand the problem before we prescribe solutions. Following our own advice is always a wise move.
As for my pet rebranding and site redesign project, I got some of what I wanted. We approved replacing the member management and learning management systems with Denim & Steel acting as technology selection advisors and purchasing new URLs. We decided to postpone a full rebrand and site redesign until after our October international conference, and we have confirmed enough budget for the 2023/2024 term. I can live with that.
Conferences
The annual QRCA conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, was a blast. San Diego in 2022 was fun, but Charlotte felt like a big post-pandemic reunion. The conference was sold out, the content was top-notch, the social events were very fun, and I came away with new knowledge and new friends. That’s what makes for a great conference.
For people who left the conference late, I reserved a private karaoke room at a Korean-influenced Carolina barbeque joint, where we sang the night away. I walked away with COVID, but you know what? Worth it.
Next up is the QRCA’s World Wide Conference in Lisbon in October, and the next annual conference in Denver in January. In Denver, they’re encouraging people to stay late by organizing a post-conference ski trip. I’ll go on the trip but have no plans to ski. Unwinding at a resort in the Rockies before heading home sounds delightful.
The call for presentations is now open, and I encourage everyone with knowledge they would like to share to apply.
Writing
I wrote a post for the QRCA Qual Power Blog on using LinkedIn Navigator to source B2B participants on your own. It’s a process I’ve successfully used for two previous projects, and it may have let me down for the Freedonia project, but I would totally use it again in a pinch.
There’s also applicable information on using tech tools to screen and automatically schedule participants that’s applicable if you’re working with a client’s customer or prospect list.
Personal
Travel
I always stay on location through the weekend after the QRCA conference to take advantage of being in a new city. While in Charlotte, I walked and scootered along their new greenway, sampled the local cuisine, stumbled upon a drag show, and went to a couple of museums. It seemed like one of those cities best explored by renting a car and driving around the outer burbs, but I made the most of being a pedestrian and enjoyed myself.
During the Passover/Easter weekend, my husband and I visited Portland, Oregon. It rained the entire time we were there, which hindered our usual exploratory tendencies, but we managed to eat at a few new places and see some friends.
Next up, Portugal! I know I said we were going to Italy, but when I found out where the QRCA World Wide conference would be, I felt changing our plans was a good idea. We plan to arrive a week and a half early to road trip around the northern region before I split off to do conference stuff while my husband enjoys all Lisbon offers. I look forward to their famous green wines and pastels de nata. I hear the vistas aren’t too shabby, either.
Media
Let’s talk podcasts. My favorite podcast producer, NPR, experienced a massive budget shortfall this year and had to cut some great podcasts. They still exist, but they’re no longer producing new content. Pour one out for NPR (and maybe think of donating to your local broadcaster to ensure they keep delivering great content, including local news).
The podcasts I’ll miss, but have past episodes available for download, are Invisibilia, Louder Than a Riot, and Rough Translation.
Invisibilia finds stories around the hidden aspects of our humanity. Why we are the way we are. How people experience the same things differently.
Louder Than a Riot explores the history and culture of hip-hop. The first season was about the clash between rap artists and police, and this season (still being broadcast) is about misogyny in hip-hop. Misogynoir.
Rough Translation explored how news in one part of the world had ripple effects felt in other regions. Like the war in Ukraine driving up cooking oil prices in Sub-Saharan Africa. I’ll miss what these podcasts made me aware of and think about.
Giving Back
I’ve been so involved with work and QRCA that I have been slacking on social and environmental volunteering. Shame on me. Good thing this newsletter keeps me honest. I’ve signed up for a Saturday reclamation shift with the Stanley Park Ecology Society for May. I wonder if we’ll be cutting back English ivy or Himalayan blackberry bushes? If you see me walking around with scratches all over my arms and legs, you’ll know it was blackberries.
Until next time! Have an excellent Q2, and keep me in mind for your next research project.
