humanQuant is an emerging practice at Greenberg, based on the hypothesis that the dramatic growth of (largely online) quantitative research has resulted in significantly more data, but in general, fewer insights.

While surveys are sufficient for scoping markets and establishing absolute choices, our experience is that standard surveys are less capable of isolating the essential human nuance that makes the difference between statistical significance and genuine understanding. And in a fragmented dynamic market, more and more marketing decisions need to be made in situations where absolute knowledge is an illusion and there is a premium on judgment and experience.

Our work in this area has been to first acknowledge how people respond to the often mechanical questioning an online survey imposes. Drawing on the human understanding we have built from years of qualitative discussion, we frame studies around subtler, more intuitive angles of inquiry. This has led us to develop quantitative work in new ways, extending assignments beyond linear surveys into online communities, bulletin boards and blogs.

humanQuant goes beyond methodological design and infuses the type of questions we ask and analysis we do. It is a reflection of one of the core values of the company–listening to people rather than talking at them.

humanQuant is a conceptual approach rather than an off the shelf methodology for all comers. For more information, and to discuss how the humanQuant approach might fit with your research needs, please call Chris Hubble at 510-446-8138.