Why Conversational Research Matters for Agency Owners
This article was originally published at Quirk’s Media.
Automated conversational research (aCR) is a hot topic with immense potential, and for good reason. AI has made it possible to automate in-depth interviews, and it works remarkably well: Participants enjoy the process and the quality of data is not just comparable to traditional qualitative projects, it can even surpass it due to larger, more diverse samples. This quantitative sample diversity minimizes the risk of missing critical insights and offers built-in significance assessments for the findings.
While it promises to enhance qualitative studies by reducing routine tasks, this shift is more of a revolution than an evolution. For qualitative researchers, whose work already leans heavily toward analytical and creative tasks, automating processes demands a radical rethinking of methodologies and practices. Similar to the transition from paper-based to online research, this change is transformative but requires significant adaptation. Moreover, qualitative research represents only a small fraction of the entire research industry, limiting the broader impact of automating this segment. That said, those qualitative researchers who embrace this transformation stand to gain a significant competitive edge.
However, the true value of aCR extends far beyond traditional qualitative research.
For agency owners and managers, the real opportunity lies in leveraging aCR for quantitative research.
This is where the potential for transformation – and business impact – is the greatest:
- No overhaul of existing approaches: Adding a qualitative layer to quantitative research is now as straightforward as, if not simpler than, running a purely quantitative study.
- New opportunities for depth and confidence: Many research scenarios could benefit from combining depth (qualitative insights) and confidence (quantitative validation), yet this has historically been difficult to achieve in practice; aCR removes these barriers.
With aCR, quantitative researchers gain access to more efficient and accessible qualitative tools that they can integrate directly (and on their own!) into their workflows. This not only helps solve client challenges more effectively but also strengthens their competitive position.
Overall, people in Thailand were more vocal and descriptive, naming more symptoms than people in Austria did. Thanks to Yasna’s ability to process and analyze large volumes of data, this was easy to spot and validate.
Applications of aCR
- Qualitative insights supplementing quantitative studies: Before, to enhance the quality of quantitative research, or after, to provide deeper understanding of results.
- Expanding research geographies: While conducting surveys in distant markets like Argentina is now feasible, conducting pre-survey qualitative research in unfamiliar territories is often a real challenge that aCR can address.
- Short, focused projects: aCR makes previously impractical small-scale, targeted studies more achievable.
- Integration into agile R&D formats: aCR enables research within fast-paced, often under-researched settings like workshops and strategic sessions.
With Yasna.ai, our aCR platform, researchers can transform the way they approach both qualitative and quantitative studies, overcoming traditional barriers and unlocking new possibilities. Designed to address the real challenges faced by researchers, Yasna automates routine tasks while remaining flexible and customizable when needed. Offering human-like quality in interviewing and a superhuman ability to analyze unstructured data, Yasna empowers you to seamlessly combine depth and confidence in your research.
Artem Tinchurin
Co-founder, yasna.ai
Tanya Berlina
Client Success Director, yasna.ai
Yasna is Ideal for Exploration, Ideation and Validation
What can you do with conversational research?