The 2022 QRCA Annual conference happened earlier this May in beautiful San Diego—and Jenny O’Connor and Amy Mahoney of InsightsNow’s qualitative research team participated. Qualitative researchers from all over the globe came to REconnect and REenergize at QRCA. Attendees once again gained skills and inspiration to take their research to the next level, mingled with qually friends old and new, and absorbed content and education centered around this year’s theme: REimagine REsearch.
The conference was broken out into three days with a theme for each day:
- Reimagining qualitative research
- Reimagining techniques
- Reimagining business and self
There were 21 vendors presenting at the conference who talked about a variety of topics, such as:
- Online groups/interviews platform and support
- Online bulletin board platforms and support
- Recruiting support
- Qualitative facilities
- Tools/technologies such as eye tracking or biometrics
Some of our team’s favorite topics included talks about how the industry may need to change the way we recruit and incentivize Gen Z and Gen Alpha study participants. Recruiting through phone and standard incentives may not be meaningful to those generations. Also discussed was the importance of adding trust and worth to research for the participant.
The conference kicked off with a welcome address by Marta Villanueva, talking about empathy when researching human behavior—and the need for different perspectives, cultural nuances and how to bring it all to life with storytelling.
The next morning started with “Through the Research Looking-Glass: Who in the World Are We? And Where Are We Going?” Priscilla McKinney, Rebecca Brooks and Roben Allong looked at questions like: What is this new post-pandemic age that we are entering? Will there be an identity crisis? Will fundamental beliefs be challenged?
Day three was launched with Marc Engel’s “Humour Me: The Power of the Art of Living Your Best Life and Being Your Best Self Every Moment of Every Day (and Other Crocks).” He talked about thoroughly revolutionizing the way you look at the world and the way the world looks at you, upending everything you thought you knew about anything, giving you a whole new perspective on life and your role in it.
We are already looking forward to 2023, when the conference goes to North Carolina in March.
