How to avoid data dump and create real value from research
The scenario is all too common: you’re trapped in a halogen lit conference room for hours, staring down an unfocused projector, all played to the tune of a droning monologue. Slide text as thick as the amazon rainforest. Numbers without context flash before your eyes to trick the subconscious mind into persuasion. You acquiesce, roll over, and continue to think about your own work instead of the task at hand.
This form of corporate purgatory is far too commonplace, and it’s killing the hard-earned value of research. That’s because research is only as valuable as the ability use it, and action begins with communication.
In every deliverable there is a contradiction. On the one hand, you want to showcase all of the work you and your team put in, justifying billable hours and demonstrating rigor to cast away any doubt that your findings are conclusive. On the other hand, you need to make sure your client stays awake during the presentation and is able to absorb and take action on your findings. Either way, you need to demonstrate value.
I’m taking a hard stance toward “the other hand” to argue that quality, not quantity, is the key to translating the value of data. If we change “value” to mean outcomes rather than effort, the result can be more productive for all stakeholders. So if action and communication are key, then how might we capture it in a deliverable? Here are three field-tested tips to demonstrating the value of research:
1. End your meeting early
If your presentation time is scheduled for 30 minutes, present in 15. If you have 10 minutes, present in 6. There’s beauty in constraint, and planning on an early ending forces you to be disciplined about prioritizing information. Plus, I have never once seen a stakeholder get upset for a presentation ending ahead of schedule.
2. Discuss and plan next steps
If research is only as valuable as your ability to use it, spend the remaining time discussing implications and planning next steps. Pick out clearly defined next steps, keeping stakeholders accountable. Translate your findings into action.
3. Save it for the appendix
If the compulsion to deliver synthesized data is too strong, send it along somewhere else. This is the power of the appendix. It’s also a great way to be prepared for added detail in the aforementioned “plan next steps” discussion and helps provide important information beyond what you have already prioritized.
Andy Rooks is the founder and strategy director for Theory Marketing Partners, a selective consultancy specializing in research and strategy services. Find out more at www.theorymarketingpartners.com
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