Quantitative research is the study of different criteria shared by several individuals in order to draw overall conclusions about the general population.
The research focuses on the opinions, needs and behaviors of the population. Quantitative research is often performed using surveys or questionnaires sent to a sample of the public under study.
This public is segmented into what are known as representative samples, made up of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people. Quantitative research is then carried out on these representative samples using a variety of methods, including telephone, email, and video calls.
The opposite of quantitative research is qualitative research: although these two concepts are often considered to be in competition, in reality they’re complementary, since qualitative research focuses on background data, on quality data on the subject, and not on the amount of data collected.
Quantitative research is performed in the context of market research, as part of a data collection and information analysis approach to the company’s target market. Whether you’re launching a new product or starting up a new business, the feedback from a quantitative study on the panel of potential customers will be crucial in analyzing the profitability of the planned action.
To carry out quantitative research, we consider 7 essential steps:
- Determine the basic problem: this will allow you to delimit the subject of your study and specify all the contours of the basic problem. The goal is then to draw hypotheses, which will subsequently be validated or not thanks to the study.
- Find the best method for collecting data: should the questionnaire be open or closed? Should it be sent by email or regular mail? What are the communication habits of the target panel: SMS, phone call, video, email? Knowing how information can be gathered will guide the questions you ask, before you put in place the most effective tools for making projections.
- Define your representative sample: who do you want to target with this quantitative study? You’ll need to determine precise criteria such as age, gender, place of residence, and socio-professional category in order to obtain the most accurate results.
- Analyze the subject of the study: even if the entrepreneur initiating the study is well versed in the sector and has a good knowledge of it, it’ll still be necessary to analyze and determine the points of friction so as not to overlook any data on the subject.
- Conduct the survey: this is the time to design the questionnaires and representative sample surveys. In order to carry out the survey efficiently, the entrepreneur will need to create a schedule and scripts in advance so as to anticipate the type of response and gather all the information they need, also being sure to control for other key variables.
- Analyze the results: this part may take some time, depending on the amount of information gathered. The aim will be to summarize all the trends that emerge from the questionnaires and surveys to create a visual document that brings all this information together.
- Answer the problem and implement the necessary actions: now that the research work is complete, it’s time to take action and organize all the changes needed to ensure the success of your project following the conclusions of the quantitative study. This assessment can be the subject of a written report that will provide the entrepreneur with a solid basis for successfully carrying out their project.
