There are three web applications which can be used to set up, recruit for, and run an online qualitative research study. The first is an online qualitative research application, the second an online survey tool, and the third an online sample source.
For the online qualitative research application we recommend our own, MRQual. This is because you can create an account and use it for free at a time of your choosing, it has a step-by-step illustrated help guide, and the team behind it are always on hand to answer questions and provide support.
Then there is recruitment. Participants can be recruited in the traditional way by recruiters, but in most situations it will be very much cheaper to recruit online, especially if there is an internal sample source, such as a customer database. This means designing a recruitment questionnaire and then scripting it (putting it online).
The scripting process involves using an online survey tool, and we would recommend Surveygizmo. It is very reasonable, offers sophisticated functionality and has extensive help. In particular, it has a feature that allows it to link up with an external online sample source, for those occasions when an internal source is not available.
For the external sample source we would recommend CINT, not least because it is a highly cost-effective sample source for online qualitative. CINT is a panel exchange, and it is possible to use it on a self-service basis. In other words, users can login and specify the sample size and structure that they require, and then issue an instruction to send out invitations to appropriate members.
By creating an account and learning to use MRQual, Surveygizmo and CINT the researcher can experiment with different types of online qualitative project, and get a feel for every stage of the process.
