2023 Quirk's Event Los Angeles - A Q&A with Tal

We sat down with Tal to talk about the themes he observed during the Quirk’s 2023 annual market research conference in Los Angeles, read the Q&A below!

Q: Tal, what were the central themes presented in this year's sessions?

Several overarching themes emerged throughout the conference. Artificial intelligence, with particular emphasis on ChatGPT, was a salient topic. The need for quantitative and qualitative researchers to work collaboratively to create more insightful research outputs was also highlighted, as many research providers struggle to achieve this. Additionally, many speakers emphasized the importance of storytelling in market research, while noting that the industry still has considerable ground to cover in this area.

Q: In a single phrase, how would you encapsulate the conference's focus?

I think "Knowing the facts only gets you half of the way there" encapsulates the conference's latent theme, which underscores how while research has become increasingly easier, faster, and cheaper to conduct, the challenges of condensing, communicating, and acting on findings remain as daunting as ever. Hence the need for more collaboration, distillation, and storytelling, which I personally see as some of the largest challenges facing researchers right now. Getting the data is easy - how do you make it stick and actually influence? 

Q: Did any particular aspect of the conference surprise you?

A: I know it has been everywhere lately, but the conference really underscored just how much AI and ChatGPT have sparked the imagination and inquisitiveness of researchers, in ways that recent technological innovations have not. 

As researchers, we are frequently sold on the disruptive potential of new technologies, such as Web3, the Metaverse, and blockchain, but these can often feel theoretical and forced. In contrast, AI has genuinely established itself as the next significant technology to watch.

Q: Were there any novel concepts that you learned at the event?

Susan Fader from FaderFocus and Francesco D'Orazio from Pulsar introduced the concept of narrative economics in their presentations, which was new to me. Coined by economist Robert Shiller in his book "Narrative Economics: How Stories Go Viral and Drive Major Economic Events," it contends that analyzing popular stories that impact individual and collective economic behavior could enhance our ability to forecast, plan for, and mitigate the impact of significant economic events, such as recessions and depressions. I’m already trying to think of how to use this in our research moving forward!

Q: As a company that strives to integrate quantitative and qualitative research, did you learn any techniques that could assist Talk Shoppe in this endeavor?

Jim White, President of RealityCheck, gave a presentation on "Getting the Best of Both Worlds: Keys to Successful Integrated Research", which I thought was particularly enlightening. He identified three primary hurdles to successful integration: separation, duplication, and favoritism.

He also provided actionable guidance, including leveraging each methodology's strengths, ensuring that the questions posed in each research phase are distinct, and designating a Story Director to oversee the synthesis of insights and report writing. These really resonated with me, given that seamlessly integrating qual & quant is something that we’re constantly and actively working on at Talk Shoppe.

Q: How did it feel to connect with people in-person at the conference?

It was absolutely exhilarating. I reconnected with old colleagues and friends, some of which I haven't seen in over 10 years. Seeing them in person, giving them a long-due hug, and getting the chance to catch up, was truly heart-warming and energizing. 

While I don’t think remote work is going away any time soon, at least not in its entirety, there is no denying the power of seeing people in person. That is one of my takeaways from this event: we need more reasons to get together and see each other live in person.