Technology Market Research Should Be Done By Technology Experts

I was really surprised to be pointed to this article from Zoomerang (our main online survey tool provider, who I think makes a great survey product). The article states that more than 40% of online IT panels contain survey takers who are not really in IT.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised.

It’s challenging to find appropriate IT participants for research – online or in person.  It requires a very specific knowledge of the people, processes, and technology in IT.  As this article clearly points out, generic market research providers don’t do well here.  I do genuinely think they have TRIED to “fix” this, but I know it’s hard and don’t believe that they really have.

The challenge is that IT professionals are compensated well  for participating in technology market research, so the motivation to misrepresent skills is high.  A better way ensure that you’re talking to real decision makers in corporate IT is to work with a provider who specializes in technology and has years of experience building up the resources to find these people, and has the technical savvy to know immediately if something has gone wrong with the recruit.

Dimensional Research specializes in technology market research, and work extensively with companies that sell to corporate IT.  That’s all we do. And because of that focus, we do it well.  We know the reliable sources to find participants that match your needs.  Just as importantly, we understand technology ourselves,  so we can quickly catch someone who is BS-ing.