Are You Sure That Your Data Is Accurate? Top 7 Tips for Newbie Researchers & Analysts
Are Researchers & Analysts Like Apples & Oranges?
You are probably wondering, “Don’t researchers and analysts basically have the same job?” We are here to tell you that they, in fact, do not.
Any research requires a researcher. We probably sound like Captain Obvious, but it is what it is. A researcher is a person who collects relevant information for a specific experiment or study. The data is collected, and this is when an analyst chimes in. They look at this compiled data and draw a set of conclusions relevant to the experiment or study.
However, these two terms are often used interchangeably, and many researchers can act as analysts and vice versa. That is what we are going to do in this article.
Releven experts are qualified industry professionals who work in collaboration to deliver research tailored to your company’s needs and goals.
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Let’s talk about common expectations for these roles. If you have ever dealt with research or just wanted to, you have probably pictured a researcher being this person who works with complex databases, uses a bunch of data analytics tools, and writes reports that no one but them understands, right?
While most of this is true (except maybe for the last part), there are certain things that the researcher’s job description does not necessarily contain but researchers should still do them over the course of their work. Some of them may even surprise you!
Here are our top 7 tips for researchers, especially those who are at the beginning of their career path.
1. See the big picture
When a company decides to do research, that is usually not a decision made lightly. Research is a comprehensive process that can address pressing questions about a lot of things that different departments of the company wonder about. It is not about finding answers only to the obvious questions or the questions that you as a researcher are interested in, but also to the ones that matter to other people involved in the product or service development.
Approaching the initial stage of research, a researcher has to take into account all of the requests and make sure that they create a workflow that suits best all of the people involved. A good researcher should even think through all the possible requests that have not been made but that can be satisfied over the course of this particular research.
That sounds difficult, doesn’t it? Well, not for Releven! While we have been busy with our pilot projects, we have enhanced our research process to include a 360° view of research requests and possible practical applications.
2. Find your balance
As a researcher, you might think that you need to know the ins and outs of the product or service that you are doing research for. On the one hand, you do, in fact, have to know the basics and more about the area that you want to research as it will allow you to think your research plan through and make sure that it is applicable to as many people’s needs as possible. On the other hand, you have entire teams with product and project managers at your disposal that can provide you with all the necessary information, and you will not need to dive into all the details.
Balance is essential. Do not forget to ask for help when help is needed, but also remember that you are the researcher, and it is your job to ask the right questions and find the answers. Over time, once you have developed the methodology that works for you, it will get easier.
Releven understands the role that good teamwork plays. We have perfected our methodology and team workflow at the initial stage, and now that allows us to be more efficient when approaching research.
3. Beat the clock
If you are not curious and eager to learn, then you are probably a no-good researcher. Sometimes while conducting interviews or gathering insights, you can become too fascinated with the respondent’s answers and get carried away. You might think that the more data, the better, but, in fact, time and deadlines play an even bigger role in research.
It is quite common that you have a certain period of time within which you have to finish your research and provide the stakeholders or other people in charge with the final conclusions so that they can proceed with making this or that decision. That is why if you decide to gather additional data and extend the deadline, you might end up with more comprehensive research that no one needs because the decisions have already been made without it, and the company might have even lost money! We advise that you try to follow the initial research schedule and get everything done as fast as you can while still staying efficient.
Releven is no stranger to tight deadlines. We always set strict deadlines at the very beginning and strive to follow them as we recognize that our customers need the research for a specific goal that cannot wait.
4. Expect the unexpected
Keeping your research on record and paperwork in order is more important than you might think. Any research stage is necessary, one is not less than the other. Sure, it might feel frustrating for you as a researcher to write everything down and store all the details at first, but you will thank yourself later.
The final research report is just the tip of the iceberg, and no one but you knows what is underneath and what work has had to be done in order to get there. At the final stages, you will definitely need some information from the initial stages that you did not originally plan to use or even expect to need. If you have not written it down somewhere then, it is lost forever, and valuable insights might be overlooked as a result.
Releven abides by the write-everything-down approach. Our researchers are trained professionals who know how to document all the research stages properly and apply the data accordingly to ensure that our customers receive the most accurate insights possible.
5. Put quality and quantity over speed
You probably think that we are contradicting ourselves… First, we tell you to speed things up to meet the deadline, and now we are saying, “Take your time.” Actually, again it is all about balance. If you want to do things fast instead of right at the beginning, you will regret it and end up realizing that you should have done them right from the start. This is a good rule for any researcher to follow.
Sometimes you are required to do some express analysis and think to yourself that you will just compile the data quickly and make some conclusions. However, when you start your research, you just come to see that you have to dig through piles of irrelevant information to get to the relevant pieces.
Releven has done its fair share of research before doing it for others. We know that researchers need to browse ten times more data than they end up using for their report. The final document that the customer receives is the result of long meticulous work with tons of data and tools.
6. Be skeptical and ask questions
Skepticism is a blessing and a curse for any researcher. It is indeed difficult to treat any data you see with a dash of skepticism since it might seem that you cannot trust anything you come across and all the correlations and causations might be a simple coincidence.
However, if you stumble upon a discrepancy over the course of your research, you should understand that if there is a phenomenon, there is a reason for its existence. You can ask the right questions to dig deeper and find a root cause. Just do not go too deep or you might stray too far from the original goal.
Releven encourages curiosity and thoroughness. Our researchers are true professionals who are ready to go above and beyond to deliver valuable insights to our customers while still being focused on the key aim.
7. Be creative and consistent
When it is your first research, you spend weeks or months getting everything right. When it is your second, you start to realize what can be done faster. When it is your tenth, you know what can be done better.
Take calculated risks and learn from mistakes. Come up with frameworks and a methodology to make sure that your research is effective, reliable, and valid. Improve your methodology with new ideas and test it out with different variables. Create step-by-step guidelines that you will use from customer to customer. Research is a fascinating field that allows you to be creative and find out new things, so look without fear in the face of tomorrow.
Releven acknowledges the importance of being consistent with methodology, frameworks, templates, and reports while still approaching each case individually. We exercise transparency and openness in our customized approach.
We believe that researchers are valuable team members who tie the team’s goals together with the help of research. Releven is ready to find the best way to fulfill your research needs. If you are interested, contact us on releven.io.
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