As more companies experience the headaches caused by identity theft and security breaches, they are becoming increasingly concerned with maintaining their privacy and confidentiality when participating in qualitative research. Gaining your client’s trust by ensuring that their privacy will be strictly maintained is the only way to build lasting relationships and produce quality results. By taking certain precautionary steps, you can ensure that your client’s identity is protected and your research results are unbiased and trustworthy.
Confidentiality is a key component to effective qualitative research.
Maintaining Confidentiality During Qualitative Research
1) Keep the client confidential
In order to prevent biased results, it is important that the client is kept confidential from respondents at all time. While there are rare occasions in which the client’s identity would be revealed, most often the best results will be obtained when confidentiality is maintained from recruitment through completion of the focus group.
2) Protect personally identifiable information
Just as your client’s identity must be protected, your respondents should remain anonymous as well. Any personally identifiable information (PII) that is collected must be kept in a secured database to protect this sensitive information, which can later be used to streamline recruitment and keep track of past participation.
3) Separate clients and respondents
In the spirit of full confidentiality, clients and respondents should never end up in the same room together. This requires the market research facility to carefully manage the movements of all participants. The receptionist should have a clear understanding of who’s who so they can effectively manage the flow of people and direct them to the appropriate area. In an ideal situation, respondents will have a waiting area separate from client access areas to ensure full confidentiality. It is also important that all respondents are filtered to the correct focus group in order to prevent confusion, and all participants should present photo ID to confirm their identity upon entrance.
4) Maintain confidentiality beyond the focus group
Maintaining privacy is just as important after the focus group itself ends. All participants should sign confidentiality forms to ensure that what is discussed during the group never goes beyond the walls of the facility.
About Observation Baltimore:
We take great pride in creating a special environment for research to thrive, which is why Observation Baltimore is Where The Magic Happens. We are one of the top Maryland market research facilities and rated “One of the World’s Best” by Impulse Survey. Our experienced recruiting is the foundation of our mission, as well as courteous and proactive hospitality and client services. Just six minutes from BWI airport and AMTRAK, our Baltimore research facility has a great location. Most importantly, we understand market research!
To learn more about the market research facility at Observation Baltimore: contact Ryan Ross at 443-543-5345 or click here!
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