Here, our members share their perspectives on trends, innovations, and challenges shaping the world of market research and insights.
As we wrap up 2024, we asked our industry experts around the world about the biggest hurdles they’ve faced—and the strategies they’re using to overcome them. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, solutions, or a deeper understanding of global challenges, you won’t want to miss this.
In this edition, we cover challenged faced by WIN members in 2024, including integrating AI with existing human processes, navigating stricter data security regulations, and addressing employee well-being amidst rising demands. Critical skills like tech adaptability, storytelling, and core research methodologies took center stage, as researchers balance client expectations for faster, cheaper insights with maintaining high-quality outcomes.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF 2024 IN THE RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS WORLD? AI COMES FIRST
It will come as no surprise that artificial intelligence (AI) topped the list. WIN members recognise AI’s potential to elevate their work, but integrating human processes has been a complex experiment.
- THE NEED TO BALANCING AI WITH HUMAN THINKING:
Urpi Torrado, CEO of Datum International from Peru, emphasizes a balanced approach, committing to ensure that AI solutions “complement human intelligence, demonstrating to our clients the transformative potential of a hybrid approach” while also “training on the latest technologies and fostering skill development” to stay at the top of their game.
Heiner Junker, Trainer and Facilitator from Produkt + Markt, in Germany, comments that while the technology offers exciting opportunities, they are “committed to maintaining high research quality, empathy, human expertise, creativity, and data privacy”. He highlights that these values “ensure AI enhances, rather than diminishes, the human-centric focus” of their work.
- DEALING WITH EVER GROWING DATA SECURITY COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Another prevalent challenge in 2024 is adapting to stricter privacy and data security regulations. Senior Partner at Instituto DYM in Spain, Estefanía Clavero López, explains, “Staying compliant while still effectively gathering and analyzing market data is increasingly challenging… which often involves ongoing training” – which can be both time-intensive and costly. - ENSURING EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING:
A third common hurdle for members has been managing employee well-being amid high demands and turbulent times. As budgets tighten and costs rise, researchers are in a strain to improve the quality of their results.
In addition to keeping up with innovations, training, and regulations on top of day-to-day workload, prioritising staff well-being has become difficult. Chie Michihiro, Executive Researcher at Nippon Research Center, sums it up: “How do we decrease turnover? How do we maintain their physical and mental health?” while juggling these demands.
HOW DID RAPID CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGIES IMPACTED THE WAY WE WORK?
For the majority of WIN members, AI and other technologies have streamlined their work, from gathering and processing vast amounts of data to doing standardised tasks to administrative work.
However, with these advancements come new challenges: “it requires a lot of thought to check” the work, says Senior Researcher and Sample Manager at Motivaction International in the Netherlands, Maaike Zijderveld, highlighting the need for careful oversight to ensure quality.
Estefanía Clavero López notes that despite the benefits of these innovations, “it also means constantly updating our skills to keep up with new tools and methodologies,”
Chie Michihiro adds that the complexity is when “AI and other technologies are rapidly developing while data protection regulations… are becoming stricter”.
WHAT SKILLS HAVE BECOME CRITICAL IN 2024 AND WHY?
With the rise of AI, the ability to handle and work efficiently has become non-negotiable to ensure quality outcomes. Other tech-related skills have also become essential, such as being able to facilitate training, and cyber awareness. But it is not just about skill acquisition – tech adaptability is crucial and requires “a willingness to continuously learn and embrace change”, says Estefanía Clavero López.
Alongside technical skills, Heiner Junker highlights that core research principles and methodologies still remain a foundation that “ensures the highest quality and validity of insights”.
Beyond technical skills, critical thinking, analysis, and storytelling have become a priority in 2024. As Richard Colwell, President of WIN and CEO of RED C Research, explains that these skills demonstrate to clients “how valuable our human understanding and connections are for their business” within a progressively tech-centred industry.
CHALLENGES IN MAINTAINING CLIENT TRUST AND SATISFACTION
Clients still expect cutting-edge insights that help them stay competitive, but now, they want it cheaper, faster, without compromising on quality. Nearly 70% of respondents reported this, with some indicating that clients are expecting AI to achieve this effortlessly, and as Maaike Zijderveld puts it, they’re unaware of “the checks involved in order for us to completely trust the data”.
Richard Colwell adds that there has been “lots of interest from clients on the ability of synthetic data to make things cheaper and faster.”
The rise of AI and technological demands push researchers to stay one step ahead of their clients, fully informed about the latest tech to confidently advise them when needed – adding another layer of pressure keep up with client satisfaction.
Optimizing workflows has been a top priority: harnessing technology wherever possible, adhering to stringent data protection standards, navigating the ethics of AI, and managing tighter timeframes and budgets – all while staying one step ahead of client needs. We circle back to one of the three challenges from Question 1: where does this leave employee health and well-being?
LOOKING FORWARD
2024 has been a year of navigating new technologies and rising demands, showcasing the resilience at the core of WIN’s researcher community. As we head into the new year, WIN remains committed to learning, innovating, and supporting the industry in the ever-evolving, and sometimes unpredictable, insights landscape.
We look forward to sharing more of our members’ stories. So, stay tuned as we look forward to the new year in our next edition of Global WINdow – coming to you in January 2025!