Questions to Ask Your Research Partner in Anticipation of Writing the Report

You’re early in the research stages and are having conversations about expectations for the research project – this is where you want to also include key questions about the final report delivery that your research partner is going to anticipate.

First, what kind of report do they want at the close of the study, if at all?

You need to know if a report is wanted, then if it is what kind of report your research partner wants in order to 1. Include the correct cost amount in the proposal, and 2. Provide a timeline of when they can expect a final report. With this, it’s important to know if they want a full report, you will need transcripts. Transcripts often take 24-48 hours to turnaround, so you need to be clear on if they are needed to both include them in the cost as well as including them in the final report.

A hot-notes report, top-line report, mini report, or full report all take varying levels of time and are thus priced differently. If a research partner wants both a hot-notes and detailed full report, that matters.

Second, when do they realistically expect to have the final report back?

A full, detailed key findings report takes a long time to write and edit. If you’re Client is anticipating a one-week turnaround, it is unlikely you would be able to provide an in-depth analysis in a coherent format and still include Respondent quotations. You need to discuss what’s nice but unrealistic.

If there’s no wiggle room, you need to charge a rush fee.

What format do they prefer?

It’s been pretty standard that RIVA presents all detailed key findings in a PowerPoint presentation format. However, make sure you’re clear on what your research partner wants. You also want to check if they have a particular layout or design that you need to stick to.

What, if any, additional elements would they like included?

Sometimes, Clients would like to have videos or audio included in the presentation. This can be a bonus for them to be able to hear what people said. Often, we’ve found that using quotations works well, but if they want audio/video clips, make sure you know ahead of time.

What policy, if any, do they have about the use of AI?

RIVA does not use AI when writing qualitative reports; however, if you typically do, then you need to ensure that the company you’re working with is okay with your use of it. You will also need to include a statement of AI use somewhere in the report as well.

If you want to make sure to finish off your project strong, it’s important to know all of these details ahead of time. The answers to these questions help you set your own expectations, manage your workload, and let both parties walk away satisfied at the end of the project.

Written by: Brittany Mohammed