At LDA Research, we’re well aware of the key role our moderators play in successfully delivering medical market research interviews. That’s why we work with specialist moderators, all of whom have either worked in the medical sector, or held senior medical research positions. This allows them to confidently dig a little deeper when conducting qualitative field research.
The Role of the Medical Market Research Moderator
A good moderator is far more than an articulate interviewer. LDA clients are looking for the kind of detailed field research which can only arise out of an interview that employes elements of conversational flow. The give and take of this more personal exchange allows personally-held opinions, and beliefs to be shared without fear of misrepresentation, or misunderstanding.
This requires moderators who:
- Exhibit clear professional understanding of the discussion topic
- Demonstrate an authentic interest in the discussion
- Show respect for the knowledge and views of respondents
- Know how to manage the flow of an interview to ensure it concludes on time
- Accurately summarise respondents’ answers
- Listen actively and respond without becoming emotionally involved
At LDA Research we are able to guarantee our clients moderators who meet all these criteria. But we also go a step further. We know that even the best moderator will be unable to achieve their best work if the framework that supports them is weak.
We have five rules that govern all the work we do with our medical market research:
1. Introduce Moderators to Respondents
The quality of the relationship between moderator and respondent begins with their introduction to each other. We don’t leave anything to chance at this crucial stage, therefore. We always introduce moderators, by name, as soon as we can. The introduction always includes contact details which would normally include email, mobile phone number and landline. Once the intro is made, our moderators will follow up.
2. Provide Detailed Schedule for Moderators
The interview event is the most important aspect of the research. So we make absolutely sure that the moderator is given the interview date as soon as it’s confirmed with the respondent. At this stage we also provide detailed notes on where the respondent will be when carrying out the interview, and whether there are contingencies (such as an emergency call out) that could cut the interview short.
3. Keep Moderators Involved
Moderators are copied in to all email correspondence with respondents once the introduction has been made. This builds the relationship with the respondent, and keeps them involved in ongoing arrangements leading up to interview. We want to ensure, at every stage, that the moderator is closely involved with the process leading to interview.
4. Provide all Necessary Documents Before Being Asked
We’re proactive in our provision of documentation for moderators. And for good reason. We want our moderators to have plenty of time to familiarise themselves with the discussion guide, and materials. We know our moderators are professionals who need time to reflect on the goal of the interview in order to consider how best to achieve it. So, for example, we’ll set up a pre-survey run through with the aim of considering the spectrum of expected answers, and we encourage moderators to ask questions at this stage. Our aim is always to obtain the best data.
5. Fully Brief Moderators on Software and Innovative Formats
At LDA Research we pride ourselves on the innovative nature of our research formats. This means that we need to keep our moderators fully briefed when using new software applications, or delivery methods. We recently ran a workshop that involved war gaming and virtual hospital modelling with nurses and pharmacists. In this instance, we provided detailed briefing and materials prior to the workshop to allow moderators to try out the software and feel confident using it.
LDA Research Creates The Foundations for Successful Research Interviews
LDA Research is a learning organisation that relies on our moderators not only to deliver well, but also to offer us feedback on how we’re doing. All feedback is considered carefully, and often leads to adjustments in how we operate. The end goal is always the very best qualitative research outcomes for our clients, and we’re confident we have the support network to achieve this.
