As an extension of her honour in the latest GRIT report in February 2020, an interview with Amy Greenwood was published on the GreenBook blog today. After nearly 9 years in the insights industry, Amy has seen it evolve through the Big Data boom and the rise of automation among many other trends. Her authority is a result of years of hard work observing and gaining a strong understanding of insight generation and activation.
This interview digs a little deeper into her thoughts on the challenges and future of market research, as well as what qualities insight professionals should look to possess if they’re to succeed. Here’s a taste of the insights to be gained from Amy’s interview:
What challenges do you see facing newer MRX professionals as technology advances?
While it’s likely there will be the challenge of developing and adapting to the new skills that new technology will necessitate, I don’t think that’s the largest challenge new research professional will face. The industry, and those working in it, have adapted to that before.
I think the largest challenge will be how to make effective technology decisions when the landscape becomes so large. Even right now, the choice of method and supporting technology is relatively limited. However, as emerging technologies become more mainstream, and the choice available to researchers expands, it is going to become increasingly difficult to effectively evaluate which solutions best meet the needs of a particular research challenge.
There’s also likely to be the challenge of retaining control, as technologies continue to automate more and more processes. Which aspects of research require human intervention? Which don’t? Answering those questions will become a big challenge.
If you could change one thing about insights, what would it be?
The perceptions of research, insight and the work we do. Let me explain that answer a little. As researchers and insights professionals, we are acutely aware of the value we can provide to a business, to a strategic decision and to critical junctures. Yet even decades on, many organisations still see research departments as a sub-set of marketing that influences only marketing decisions.
I am encouraged that these dated preconceptions are beginning to erode, and insight is being embedded into more decisions. While it may have some way to go before it’s considered as vital as financial or operational influence, our voice is growing. I’m proud that my work at FlexMR is helping in that effort. And I’m extremely glad to see that other agencies and internal teams alike are also contributing to the cause.
Read the full interview here.
About Greenbook
At Greenbook, our mission is to connect marketers and market researchers with the people, information and ideas that will generate big results for their companies. They serve the market research industry through: Research on the industry (GRIT Publications), IIeX events, Webinars and online training, GreenBook Blog (charting the future of the industry), and the GreenBook Directory, the ultimate guide for buyers of market research.
