Types of Research
"Research" spans many methods, and choosing well means understanding a few key distinctions. Three axes matter most for innovation: primary vs. secondary, qualitative vs. quantitative, and generative vs. evaluative. They are not either/or - the best programs blend them.
Primary vs. Secondary
Primary = evidence you gather first-hand (interviews, observation, experiments). Secondary = existing evidence others produced (reports, market data, academic studies). Start with cheap secondary research to orient, then invest in primary research for the questions that truly matter to you.
Qualitative vs. Quantitative
Qualitative answers why and how - depth, motivation, meaning - from a few people. Quantitative answers how many and how much - measuring patterns across many. Qual generates hypotheses; quant tests how widely they hold.
Generative vs. Evaluative
Generative research explores an open space to discover needs and opportunities (early, divergent). Evaluative research tests a specific concept or prototype to see if it works (later, convergent). Match the type to where you are in the process.
| Question you have | Lean toward |
|---|---|
| What needs exist? Why do people behave this way? | Generative, qualitative, primary |
| How big is the market? What is the trend? | Secondary, quantitative |
| Does this prototype work for users? | Evaluative, qualitative |
| What share prefers A over B? | Evaluative, quantitative |
Look at how your team researches. Do you over-rely on one type - all quant dashboards, or all anecdote - and miss what the other would reveal?
Sources
- Goodman, E., Kuniavsky, M. & Moed, A., Observing the User Experience, 2012.
- Creswell, J., Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods, 2018.
- Global Innovation Institute (GInI), Foundations of Innovation body of knowledge.