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Big Data has been on trends list for at least a couple of years now.  It continues as a trend for 2013.  Since the world didn’t end on December 21, 2012, we can safely assume that there will only be MORE data and not less.  And hence, what we do with Big Data matters.

What is Big Data and do I really need to pay attention to it?

The phrase ”Big Data” has become this catch-all phrase to encompass gobs and gobs of data.  It’s Google’s analysis of trending terms, it’s the myriad interactions on any computer and mobile device — it’s the collection of data sets so large and complex that it simply can’t be analyzed with traditional business analysis tools.

I ran into an interesting conversation about big data in an article about Data Management where Erik Sherman from Inc. Magazine says it’s a 2013 trend you should ignore and Pete Godin from the Data Storage and Management Report says it’s foolish to ignore it.

It would be easy to ignore Big Data simply because we don’t have the tools, the mechanisms to processes it all but chances are good that your next opportunity for differentiating yourself or heading into a new market is hiding in plain site.

So, for 2013, if you haven’t put Big Data on your radar, this is the time to at the very least, create a Google Alert on the phrase and start reading up on it.

QuestionPro has stepped into the Big Data trend a couple of years ago.  We’ve introduced SecondPrism, a mobile graphic data visualisation tool that will take public data sets and allow you to manipulate and filter them based on your interests.  Another great data visualization tool launched this year was our Infographic Reporting feature.

The best way to stick your toe in the Big Data pool is to start with visualization reporting tools and infographics that allow you to take basic data that you have access to or large publicly available data sets and start analyzing them and developing strategic opportunities around them.

Even your Google Analytics dashboard is a data visualization tool.  It takes the millions of views, clicks and traffic sources and synthesizes that data into something that will ultimately help you make decisions about your web site design and content — based on the feedback you get from your visitors.

What kind of Big Data are you looking at and how are you managing it?

With 2013 around the corner, we thought we’d look back on the trends our experts predicted over the last few years and give you an update on those past trends and let you know how they’ve developed or turned out.  

I’m going to put some insights here and I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on how these trends have come to pass today.

• Gamification – We said gamification was going to become prevalent and it has — but not as quickly or in the way we may have expected.  Today, gamification inside of surveys most commonly occurs as respondent engagement and interaction with the survey instrument.
• Mobile – When we first talked about the mobile trend, Romi Mahajan talked about collecting feedback in the context of the experience.  For example, instead of waiting for someone to ask us about an experience days or weeks later, we can use our mobile devices to deliver our feedback “in situ” as he called it.    This is still the case — only more so.  You can expect even MORE feedback via mobile.  The challenges will be in integrating the data and transforming it into actionable decisions.
• Panel communities - Leonard Murphy, another of our expert panelists described it as a microcosm of social networking.  The very context of panels is transforming from a group of people who share similar demographics to a community of people who are passionate about a specific topic.  In fact, the set qSample.com is Survey Analytics step into that new world of panel communities.  The qSample panel communities are motivated by the subject and the exchange of information rather than simply receiving a reward for answering questions.
• User experience -   In our discussion in 2012, we talked about the fact that market research has traditionally NOT been very focused on the user experience.  It’s not that we, as researchers, didn’t care, it’s that it never dawned on us that people could actually ENJOY or want to participate in a survey.  What we’ve learned is that people LOVE interacting with platforms.  It’s in this space that the gamification trend has most taken hold.  ”Touch screens and advanced online interfaces as well as our growing attachment and familiarity with our computers and mobile devices have made interactive, graphic and entertaining user experiences an absolute must-have in research and data collection.

This is just a short recap of the trends we’ve been talking about in the past.  We’d love to hear what YOUR experience has been with these trends.  Do you see other trends or do you see these same trends expressing themselves in new and interesting ways?

Leave us your comments and we will incorporate them in future articles!

I admit it — I love graphic themes about as much as most women love shoes.  This is why I practically jumped for joy when I logged into my QuestionPro account this morning and saw that they had NEW THEMES!

Even if you’re not as excited about new survey themes as I am, you’re going to want to log into your account and check these out.  Each theme has been researched and professionally designed with our user community and for user experience.  So you can count on having your survey deliver a quality experience as well as help your brand look as professional as possible on a budget.

Here is a quick video to show you how to get access to the new themes:

If you’re trying to pick a theme outside of your branding color, here are a few suggestions based on what emotions different colors evoke:

• Take action: Red (Ruby, Bold Theme)
• Communication and optimism: Orange (Tamarind, Persimmon Theme)
• Balance and growth: Green (Leaf, Chive,  Organic Theme)
• Trust and peace: Blue (Navy, Sky,  Deep Blue, River, Winter Theme)
• Compromise: Gray (Platinum, Techno, Aluminum, Notary Theme)
• Down to earth: Brown (Sand Theme)
• Perfection : White (All White Theme)

Now you’re ready to create professional looking surveys!

Happy Monday everyone, and even more importantly, happy December! Holiday season is officially in full swing, but before you get TOO busy, take a break from catching up on emails and check out the (awesome) below video.

Our president, Erik Koto, was recently featured in an interview with Romi Mahajan, CMO of Metavana in episode 7 of Romi’s ‘RomiCasts’. What was the subject? Well, what else? Feedback!

Check out the episode, “Feedback: Tragedy, Farce, Sunlight” here:

Happy Friday folks! We’re excited this Friday morning to present to you the winners of our ‘Burn Your Comment Cards’ Facebook contest!

In first place, the winner of roundtrip airfare for two people anywhere in the U.S., we have….(drum roll please)……Michael with his video of burning a comment card, Gangnam Style!

“Burning Comment Cards…Gangnam Style”

And in 2nd place, the Judge’s Choice winner of $500 in Visa gift cards is Antwan! He’s right, filling out comment cards by hand IS too much of a grind andy there IS an easier way!

“Filling out comment cards is too much of a grind…there’s an easier way!”

Thank you to everyone who participated and voted! The contest was a smashing success and we are in awe of your creativity!

Now, go out there and enjoy your first weekend of December with some hot cocoa (and Baileys, if you so choose)! It’s holiday season!

From our homes to yours, we wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving full of laughter and love. Whether you spend today watching football, spending time with family, or just plain relaxing, we hope you all have something to be thankful for.

We’d also like to say a little “thank you” to all those men and women serving overseas — we appreciate the sacrifices you make to keep us all safe!

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” – W. T. Purkiser

It seems as though we had just barely gotten past Halloween and the ghostie and ghoulie decorations were slowly coming down from the neighborhood, but in their place there are Santas and icicle lights, rather than Thanksgiving decorations.  It’s not just the neighborhoods.  Even with the holiday shopping season starting a week early, retailers have gone ALL OUT pitching Black Friday and decking their halls for the Christmas holidays.

All of them except for Nordstrom.  Every year, Nordstrom hangs a sign just like this:

I don’t know about you, but all around me I hear people complaining that retailers continue to skip Thanksgiving and going straight to Christmas, yet that sentiment doesn’t seem to be taking hold.  It looks like we are headlong into the Christmas retail season no matter what.

Are you Team Turkey or Team Santa?

So here at QuestionPro we want to know how you feel.  What’s the impact on you and your shopping behavior when retailers encourage the early holiday shopping season?  Are you Team Turkey — and want to wait until Black Friday, or are you Team Santa — and you’re ready for Christmas shopping the day after Halloween.

We’ve put together are little survey for you to take and we’ll report on the results later this week.

Take the Team Turkey – Team Santa Survey

Reminder! There is only ONE DAY LEFT to enter and vote on our Burn Your Comment Cards Facebook contest!

Head over to the contest page now to enter and vote. And don’t forget, there are also prizes for judge’s choice, so don’t be intimidated by the number of votes our leaders have; you could always win the Judge’s Choice award!

Attention! It’s the last week to enter to win ROUNDTRIP AIRFARE FOR TWO ANYWHERE IN THE U.S. + $500 IN VISA GIFT CARDS!

Head over to our Facebook page to enter your submission and make sure to get all your friends and family to vote!

Currently in first place is a clever video that takes burning a comment card to a whole new level. And in 2nd place, a dramatic video signaling the end to the comment card!

So visit our contest page now for your last chance to enter to win and vote!

Ahh, we finally made it to election day! In just a few short hours, life as we know it will go back to normal, BUT in the meantime, I urge you to VOTE!  Take the time to appreciate that we live in a nation where our voices can be heard. People all over the world have and will continue to die for the very same right, so please don’t take it for granted! Vote vote vote!

(And then tomorrow, while watching your evening shows, smile because you know that no annoying political ads will pop up on your TV)