Providing Solutions to Suit all Budgets and Circumstances

It is essential that you use the most appropriate techniques for your local circumstances and context. Ipsos MORI can advise on the best approach to suit your budget and provide you with a bespoke research solution that is fit for purpose.

Residents'/Prioritisation Surveys

A properly representative residents' survey provides robust data that allows public service managers to assess and track performance and make the important decisions about service and spending priorities going forward. These surveys can help your organisation to plan strategically for the future when coupled with more diagnostic work to fully understand citizen perceptions (such as key driver analysis), behaviours, motivations, expectations and priorities.  Recent examples include surveys on budget prioritisation employing a variety of approaches to suit different councils’ budgets and needs.   

Citizens' Panels

Ipsos MORI has managed citizens' panels for over 40 local authorities. Panels are adaptable for both quantitative data and qualitative focus groups and workshops. At the same time, we can help you get the most out of panels by involving the membership in more investigative and participatory research such as mystery shopping, ward walks and the co-design of services.   We can also conduct rapid evaluations of panels and deliver training on how to get the best out of your panel members. 

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is essential if you want to probe into the reasons why your stakeholders think and act as they do. The choice of qualitative approach (in-depth interviews, focus groups, workshops or community conferences among others), and whether it should be developed before or after, or instead of, a quantitative stage, is dependent on your needs and budget. Please contact us to get a copy of our A-Z guide to the most common tools and techniques in qualitative research – there is a world of approaches beyond depth interviews, focus groups and workshops that we can advise on.

Furthermore, we work closely with our experts in the Ipsos MORI Qualitative Hothouse to ensure all our work is carried using the best qualitative methods and to the highest quality standards.  

Participative Research

Local partnerships can also use research to arrive at shared solutions and to empower participants. Participative research is no better or worse than traditional research — it is different. It involves deliberative and participative techniques - such interactive bi-focal groups or participatory budgeting - to engage people in a dialogue and to involve participants more fully in the process of research. For more information, please see Ipsos MORI's Participation Unit.

Digital Technology

Ipsos MORI is at the forefront of developing new forms of consultation via new technology such as SMS text polling, web-based discussion, internet polling and online deliberative discussions. We also have developed Digital Voice which monitors the volume and sentiment of online chat about your council or local area. For more information contact Matt Barnes or go to Ipsos Interactive Services.   

Statistical Analysis

We provide added value and insight to your results through our Marketing Sciences team which comprises of experienced analysts and statisticians who focus on maximising the value and impact of customer survey data – thus helping you to understand not only what your stakeholders think and do, but to understand why they hold the views they do and behave the way to do.  Examples of advanced analysis include regression and segmentation.