Paired Interview Technique

Fast-tracking research with paired interviews

(link through elearningpost)

Why why do research agencies still cling to conventional beaten-to-death techniques – even though in many situations it is not the best or most efficient method of data collection / analysis – so much so that qualitative research (atleast in India) has become synonymous with focus groups?

I was doing some research for a large agency recently – on television viewing habits and channel preferences – and data collection was through surprise surprise – focus groups – in that situati0n, paired interviews or even family interviews made so much more sense – television viewing is strictly a family decision and the kind of compromises / interplay between family members would have made for fascinating and useful data – by the time I got involved in the project, there was no scope for any thought other than focus groups… and I feel that frustration each time I encounter focus group situations where other simpler tools would have worked better…