Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you are most certainly aware of the seismic impact on the weight loss world brought on by medications like Wegovy and Zepbound (originally approved as Ozempic and Mounjaro for managing A1C among people with diabetes). Research and client workshops are uncovering ripple effects across so many other industries that impact our clients in grocery, retail, food and beverage, apparel, fitness, and areas of healthcare that may not have anticipated these shifts.

We all know survey participant experience is a major issue in our industry, but are we actually doing anything to make it better (other than just talking about it)? I want to focus on research with healthcare professionals (HCPs). This is a limited audience. We need to take action with ideas that can actually improve their experience so they continue to provide us with the insights we need.

"Am I qualified to be here?" That thought whispered in my mind as I picked up my badge at QRCA's Annual Conference in Philadelphia. The familiar voice of imposter syndrome was making itself known, but what I discovered over the next few days would transform how I view my place in the qualitative research community.

In The New Rules of the Road, Dan Khan explores how the traditional media business model has broken down in light of the Internet revolution. As distinct media channels have transitioned to disorder, Khan observes: “We have both more control and less leverage over how our messages reach the masses — and what happens once they do.” His years of industry experience allow him to provide brand managers with a roadmap for navigating the digital shift.

Alright, let's dive into this. Basically, what I’m saying in this post is that these days, pharma companies are drowning in data, but just having oceans of numbers isn't going to cut it anymore. To really get ahead, you need strategic insights. Think of it like this: data is just the ingredients, but insights are the recipe that tells you how to actually cook up something useful.

Quality data is the lifeblood of our industry and the foundation for insights. Currently, the industry is wrestling with a number of threats to quality data, including AI, bots, bad actors, and fraud. Unfortunately, the industry is also dealing with self-inflicted challenges, including insufficient panel management, poorly designed and lengthy surveys, an ineffective application of sampling technology, and ultimately a poor participant experience. While we recognize the need for improvement, we understand the variables at work and can solve for these concerns.