As leading market research software suppliers, we have noticed an increased demand by research buyers to access their survey data in recent years. This demand is not new. Back in the 1980s, Quanvert allowed researchers to produce crosstabulations from surveys quickly and easily.

Data reporting in market research is starting to change. We are emerging from a 20-year or so period where PowerPoint presentations have dominated into an era where online data visualisation can become the norm.

The price of producing an online dashboard for market research projects is getting cheaper. This is good news for an industry that needs to deliver data to its customers effectively. But, is it viable for every project?

What features do you really need to run successful online surveys? Online survey software ranges in price from free to expensive with licences costing over $10,000 per year with additional fees for each interview ranging from nothing to $1 or more, but it’s important to consider what features matter.

If you’re serious about carrying out online surveys you will need to consider the 10 essential things described in this article. This is not intended as an exhaustive list – there may be other features that you need due to your own circumstances. However, in my opinion, these are a good starting point.

There’s more data every year and more information to report and digest. The need for being able to merge data together so that it is in one place is increasing all the time and, arguably, has become a necessity. Users of data frequently complain that they know the information is available but it can take too long to retrieve or utilise.

I recently met someone who had collected a lot of marketing and market research data. I was asked whether it was better to prepare one or more PowerPoint presentations or to put the data into an online dashboard. As with most questions like this, the answer was “it depends”. Both have their place as a way of reporting data, but the right solution for you may need some thought. So, what matters?

Choice is a fine thing until there is too much choice and you can’t decide whether there is a benefit in spending more or less money on something. With market research survey data, there are an increasing number of options available which allow you to share information with your clients or colleagues. So, first of all, let’s take a look at the options available and then consider which option may be best for a particular project.