The Dog Blog

Our Data Tech Director’s role on the ASC Committee

We’re proud to support the role our Data Tech Director, Matt Gibbs, has on the Association for Survey Computing Committee.  Here’s his take on why the association is important to him, us and the industry as a whole…

No research agency is an island!  At Painted Dog Research we know that plugging into the wider world of research innovation is essential if we’re to progress and stay at the cutting edge.  That’s one reason I’m very happy to play a role on the Association for Survey Computing (ASC) committee; the world’s leading society for the advancement of knowledge in software and technology for research and statistics.

The next ASC conference in London (May 16th) is a great example of how the ASC has inspired knowledge-share across the industry for several decades.  “The Future is Now” will provide a wide ranging overview of the current impact of technology on research techniques.  Expert speakers will discuss panel hackers, data visualisation, communities, global trends, chatbots, VideoMR, AI and Machine Learning.

Just like us at Painted Dog Research, the ASC believes that diverse opinion enriches our discussion & tries hard to encourage it.  Discounts are offered to independent researchers (ICG members), individual MR professionals (MRS members) & the ASC supports Women in Research’s (WIRe) 50/50 conference initiative.

The event page lists a formidable line-up from across the industry covering some very hot topics.  Read on for a summary of speakers, and watch this space for a review in the coming weeks!

• Jon Puleston (Vice President Innovation – Kantar Profiles division) will be discussing the hot topic of Panel Hacking in Market Research.
• Alina Emelyanenko (Director – IPSOS) will ask whether communities build empathy with consumers, or if we are “data-frying” participants in the race for quick research.  Alina will share how 10 golden rules of engagement can create & nurture a clear value proposition.
• Jackie Lorch (VP – Dynata Global) is sharing insights on behaviours & sentiments affecting survey data – from a new study of 9000+ consumers in 9 countries. Adding respondent context to our interpretations & highlighting generational & regional trends.
• Andrew Le Breuilly from Kynetec (winners of the ASC 2018 Tech Innovation award) will reveal their 3 key techniques for developing beautiful & insightful data visualisations.
• Fleur Evans (Mesh Experience) asks, if Bricks & Mortar retail is transforming from transactional to experiential, how can we measure payback on investment in this touchpoint? Flier will share how new tech sheds light on display material working in a new era.
• Tara Prabhakar (Global Director – Kantar) will discuss whether advanced tech is a barrier to human connection or its facilitator? Tara will share studies on the new OpenThinking approach – infusing tech-generated data with Qual context for improved data quality & light bulb moments!
• Advocates of AI-powered conversational surveys say chatbots improve respondent experience & provide richer insights. Simon Neve (CEO & Founder of WIZU) will discuss where chatbots work best, the challenges & what builders need to know.
• Zoe Dowling (SVP Research – FocusVision) will examine the use of video open-ends asking whether the potential has finally met reality.  Practicalities of response rates, quality, concerns, maximizing effectiveness.  Analytical challenges in wading through large numbers of short videos. Plus, advancements in AI-powered tech in this area will be covered.
• Respondi’s François Erner (Chief Innovation Officer) and Denis Bonnay (Head of Data Science) will explore if predicting news trends is still an elusive grail beyond our power.  They’ll explore what bots, insiders & panels can do. Researching 2000 panellists, with Machine Learning algorithms & IBM Watson content analysis.
• Johnny Caldwell (Managing Director) will explaining how Netquest devised a Personal Identifiable Information exclusion algorithmic solution (did somebody say GDPR?!) and the value of machine learning in that process.
• Finally, with text analytics being a hugely popular innovation in market research right now, Charlotte Crichton (Associate Director) and Ruva Mankola (Research Consultant) of Breaking Blue Research present a case study in its application for market researchers.