IDI stands for “In Depth Interviews.” These are qualitative one-on-one interviews that can be conducted via any medium (in-person, on the telephone or computer, voice or text) in any way where follow-up questions can be asked and responses are free-form.

Incidence is a calculation that estimates how many people in a given group (panel source, customer database, general population, etc.) meet all of the particular parameters for a study. (For example, if a study is focused on females between the ages of 18 and 34 who work full-time, and the participant source is a panel, the incidence for this group would be the percentage of panel participants that fit the criteria for the study.)

The two main variables in an experiment are the independent and dependent variable. An independent variable is the variable that is changed or controlled in a study to test the effects on the dependent variable. As the independent variable changes, the effect on the dependent variable is observed and recorded.

Indirect Drivers are states, experiences, or circumstances that affect the measurement of interest, but may have a less straightforward relationship with the variable. For example, if NPS is the measurement of interest (or Dependent Variable), the perceived “niche” of the industry, the state of the economy, the demographic makeup of the respondent’s household, or the relevance of the product/service at this point in the respondent’s life could all be Indirect Drivers of their NPS rating.

Interval or Scaled data has a clear order (like Ordinal categories), but we know how much space is between each variable (like, on a 7-point scale, there is a consistent distance between any two points — the difference between a 5 and 7 is the same as the distance between a 2 and 4). Variable type: Named + Ordered + Proportionate Intervals

An iterative process refers to a cyclical approach where research tasks are repeated and refined over multiple rounds to improve accuracy, depth of insight, and decision-making. Instead of being a one-time, linear task, the iterative process allows researchers to adapt their methods and focus based on what they learn at each stage. 

Critical factors or attributes that most significantly influence a specific outcome or behavior, such as customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, purchase intent, or overall business performance. These drivers are identified through statistical techniques, known as Key Driver Analysis (KDA), which analyze data to determine which variables (e.g., product quality, customer service, price, brand reputation) have the greatest impact on a desired business metric.

The different ways data can be quantified or categorized, determining the type of statistical analysis possible. They include nominal (categories without order), ordinal (ordered categories), interval (equal intervals without a true zero), and ratio (equal intervals with a true zero).

The Margin of Error is the range that we would expect to see in the larger population, given a particular response in the sample. For example, if we see a response of 50% in the sample, and have calculated a margin of error of +/- 3% (based on size of the sample and variability in individual responses), that means that we expect the “true answer” for the larger population to be somewhere between 47% and 53%.

A market development strategy is a growth strategy where a business seeks to enter new markets with its existing products or services. The goal is to expand the customer base by targeting segments or geographic areas the company hasn’t served before.