Enhancing Insights: The Power of Data Triangulation in Research
Research Craft
Stepping back to analyze trends within a body of research and across multiple data sources is crucial for several reasons: forming a well-rounded perspective of research findings, drawing connections across ambiguous or disparate data points across the business, and discovering novel insights and new perspectives. Data triangulation can be applied to a single research study to build on insights or integrated across multiple studies to highlight broader themes. This can be qualitative or quantitative data from primary or secondary research sources. I still share feedback on pulling from multiple sources to draw insights when reviewing research deliverables. Therefore, it’s important to share these broadly and help others uplevel their research craft.
Researchers today don’t triangulate data for several reasons:
Lack of awareness the data exists or lack of access
Moving too quickly and not carving out the time needed to synthesize
Lack of good examples to point researchers to
Having the resources isn’t the solution; researchers must implement effective strategies to integrate consuming and triangulating data into their daily practice.
Strategies you can implement today:
Block your calendar daily to do your desk research and stay up to date on data inputs across the business
Carve out time after a series of research studies to summarize and reflect on more prominent themes of your learning and connect to other business areas.
Establish partnerships with other insights functions, such as market research and data science partners, by setting up a monthly meet-up to understand and align priorities and learnings from these groups.
Inputs I’ve found effective in triangulating data include:
Syndicated Research
Market Research and UX Research are under the same umbrella in smaller start-up organizations but are part of Marketing in larger organizations. Regardless of where this group sits, they generate insights and have access to valuable journals that can be shared with UX Research. Ideally, working together on collaborative research roadmaps, it’s also essential to stay on top of what is known about competitors, customer segments, and opportunities to map what you are learning to the broader strategy or vice versa.
Explore syndicated research on critical topics
Through partnerships, align research roadmaps across customer segments and product areas
Follow your company Insights distribution lists or comms channel
Public Data Forums
Read about what people say about your products and experiences publicly today. Share these nuggets broadly and use this input to spark new questions or research opportunities. Some organizations have built or purchased platforms that consolidate social media comments, but in the absence of that, familiar sources include:
App Store ratings and feedback
Discussion forums: Facebook, Reddit, Google groups
Developer communities: GitLab, Postman, Github
Previous Primary Research
Enhance your understanding of the customer and gain insights beyond your research area of focus to make connections for your partners. You can also look at the problem from another lens. Say, for instance, you are doing research with small businesses. What is known about the customer experience that broadens learning? Or you are doing research with Developers. What is known about the business decision-maker and how their roles and responsibilities relate to one another? Connecting the dots and reinforcing previous insights is crucial to move towards action and impact.
As you communicate insights, reinforce what is known in the following ways:
“ As seen in previous research…“
“ Looking at this from the lens of…“
Data Analytics Dashboard and Deep Dives
Form a relationship with your data analyst partner and understand what problems they are being asked to solve so you can identify areas where you can add value to existing or new bodies of work. You can also ask for access and periodically review the usage data of existing product experiences and flows. Offer to collaborate with your analytics partners on the WHY behind what they see in early Beta and A/B testing ramps for products you are developing. This way, you are grounding what is happening, how, and why, and you can quickly respond.
Example questions to ask:
What are common usage patterns?
Who is using x feature or product experience?
What is the data story globally?
What is the data story for new users versus tenured users?
What data inputs or strategies have been effective for you in forming compelling insights and perspectives when influencing product strategy?
Please subscribe, comment, and share. I would love to hear your feedback on what you want to read about. - Anosha
Unleashing Creativity: Impact through Durable Research Artifacts
Research impact can be defined in multiple ways (I will write another post on this later), and one such way researchers and research leaders can gauge the impact of their work is to listen to how stakeholders engage in discussions and make decisions in their day-to-day conversations.
Great practical examples of how to triangulate in a business setting! thanks for sharing!