Qualitative research—at a glance
Qualitative research explains why people behave the way they do—from motivations and barriers to the language they use to describe a product. It’s a good fit when you’re developing or improving a product, testing communication, need to understand customer decision-making in context, or want to build hypotheses for follow-up measurement. At NMS, we run qualitative research online and offline (focus groups, in-depth interviews, online communities, assisted shopping) and deliver outputs you can use to make decisions and move forward.
Quick summary:
- Answers “why?” and “how?” (not just “how many”).
- Typical methods: focus groups, in-depth interviews (IDIs), online communities, assisted shopping/ethnography.
- Best for: product development, communication testing, understanding usage, mapping barriers and motivations.
- Helps uncover insights that aren’t obvious in the data at first glance.
- Often forms the basis for hypotheses you can validate quantitatively later.
- Can be run online or offline, including studio sessions with a one-way mirror.
- For online communities, we use our own platforms (Echonity).
- The output isn’t “just talk”—it’s a structured report plus recommendations for decisions.
When qualitative research makes sense
Qualitative research is the right choice when you need to uncover motivations, barriers, associations, and context behind customer behavior—and you want to understand it in depth, not only from aggregated numbers. Unlike quantitative research, it works with a smaller, targeted sample and goes deeper.
Typical situations where it helps:
- You need to understand the reasons behind purchase behavior, or why people leave for competitors.
- You’re developing a product/service and want to learn what customers truly value (vs. what sounds good in theory).
- You’re preparing communication and want to validate how people understand it and what it triggers.
- You want to see how people use your product in real life (not in a PowerPoint).
What qualitative research gives you
Qualitative research answers “why”: it reveals motivations, barriers, and the context behind behavior—and captures customer language you can use in product, communication, and UX. Instead of vague impressions, you get specific insights (what matters, what confuses people, what convinces them) that help you choose direction faster, align teams on the same understanding of the problem, and build strong hypotheses for further validation (for example through follow-up measurement).
Which qualitative methods we use at NMS
At NMS, we choose the qualitative method based on the question you’re trying to answer and the context in which customers decide. We combine online and offline approaches—from focus groups and in-depth interviews to online communities, assisted shopping, and in-context observation—so you get not only “what people say,” but why they say it and what it means for next steps.
🟦 Focus groups (group discussions)
A group of 6–10 people discusses the topic with a moderator. We can run them in person or online—depending on the target group and situation.
🟦 In-depth interviews (IDIs)
One-on-one, structured or semi-structured. Ideal when you need sensitivity, detail, and space to get to root causes.
🟦 Online community (deeper insight over time)
Closed communities give you depth and change over time (tasks, diaries, discussions, stimulus testing). For online communities, we use our own platforms—learn more on the Online community page and in our Platforms overview section.
🟦 Assisted shopping / ethnographic approach
A moderator accompanies the customer in a real environment and observes decision-making in context. Great for retail, services, and UX situations.
Our happy clients
Questions and answers
What is qualitative research, and how does it differ from quantitative research?
Qualitative research goes deeper and answers “why” and “how.” Quantitative research typically measures “how many” on a larger sample. They often complement each other.
When should I choose a focus group vs. an in-depth interview (IDI)?
A focus group works well when group dynamics and multiple perspectives matter. IDIs are better for sensitive topics and detailed, individual decision-making.
Can qualitative research be done online?
Yes. Online works well for group discussions, individual interviews, and longer-term online communities—often faster and with reach into harder-to-access target groups.
What is an online community, and what is it good for?
It’s a closed environment with carefully selected respondents who complete tasks and discuss topics over time. It’s useful for deeper understanding and working with stimuli (concepts, communication, diaries).
What outputs will I get from qualitative research?
Typically an insight report with conclusions, quotes, and recommendations. Depending on what you need, you can also get recordings/highlights and a team presentation to make the outputs easy to use.
Can you recruit very specific target groups?
Yes—we have a network of recruiters and partners and can source even very specific respondent profiles.
Is qualitative research suitable for product or communication testing?
Yes. It’s one of the most common use cases: you want to understand what people grasp, what confuses them, what convinces them—and why.
How long does qualitative research usually take?
It depends on the method and recruitment complexity. In general, IDIs/FGDs are faster than a long-term community; we always set timing based on objectives and target availability.
