Research as a tool for change

When research is not enough

In practice, I often come across a situation where research brings clear conclusions, supported by data, analyses and sometimes a very strong voice of respondents. But – then nothing happens. The results are presented, someone nods, maybe a presentation is created for management… and then the whole thing falls into a drawer.

And yet: the research had potential. It showed that customers do not understand the product. Or that employees do not trust management. These are fundamental things, but without the courage to do something about them, they remain just a footnote.

Who is really listening?

It is not just about having data. It is about wanting to hear what they have to say. And that requires a certain openness – to admit that our project is not perfect. That our brand has weaknesses. That our employees are not experiencing the company as we would like.

But when a client (a company, an office, a non-profit organization…) really listens, interesting things start to happen. I remember a case where a company’s management revised its internal communication strategy based on research – because for the first time they heard what their people really think. They came back for more research six months later. The results were significantly better. The data opened their eyes – and they did something about it.

Research is not the end, it’s the beginning

Sometimes I feel like research is understood as a “check box”. Do it, submit it, archive it. But research is a tool for change. It’s supposed to disturb. Raise questions. Bring discussion. And most importantly: give a voice to those affected by the decision.

Change doesn’t happen the moment we send the results in a PowerPoint. It happens when someone responsible sits down, reads it and says: “We can’t let this go.”

In conclusion:
Research is only valuable when it is followed by action. Otherwise, even the most accurate numbers are just silent witnesses to a missed opportunity.