WE’VE INTRODUCED SEVERAL METHODOLOGIES OVER 10 PLUS YEARS OF WORKING IN THE FIELD. WE INNOVATE NOT TO ESTABLISH TRADEMARKS OR STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD, BUT SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSISTENTLY DELIVERING OUR CLIENTS RELEVANT AND IMPACTFUL INSIGHTS. TO GUIDE US ON THIS PATH, WE ADHERE TO FOUR CORE PRINCIPLES.
1. Every project demands a custom approach
We would never force-fit a set of objectives into a pre-formulated approach. We design our methodology only after we fully understand the questions our client is trying to answer. Only then do we determine what sources we will tap and how we can uncover the deepest, most effective insights.
2. Great insights begin with great respondents
We can’t stress enough how important a quality recruit is for any client looking to gain access to the highest level of insights possible. But we don’t have to stress it, because we control it. At WHY-Q? we recruit in-house. We don’t use purchased lists or vendors corralling people on the internet. It’d be easier, but it wouldn’t give us the right kind of respondent. We do the recruit because we don’t want it to be about checking boxes. We know what a quality respondent sounds like, and we listen for cues. Whether we are conducting one-on-ones in New York City, or shop-alongs in Shanghai, we do the recruiting ourselves, and stand behind the quality of our respondents.
3. Creative environments foster creative connections
We feel that talking with people about their behaviors and motivations, and their values and ways of understanding the world around them, should not be conducted in a sterile environment, but rather a space conducive to creative, reflective, and meaningful exchange. Our loft spaces in NYC, LA and Chicago are casual and stylish by design. We feel they set the stage for the kind of conversations brands thrive on—honest, authentic, and deeply felt.
4. Insights are only valuable if the report is valued
You can have great insights that sit in a drawer and never change a thing. If the research findings are not shaped into a powerful story, and not packaged in a compelling way, then they will lose their value before they reach their audience. We bring the same level of innovation and creativity to our reporting as we do to our research approach. Whether we cut a video documentary, build a storyboard of results, or put together a multi-media presentation, we recognize the importance of powerful storytelling.