Consultation and market research

We have extensive skills in the collation, analysis and interpretation of data to help organisations make the best use out of the informationAt Mott MacDonald we provide a broad spectrum of consultation and market research services from focus groups and stakeholder interviews to surveys and mystery customer research.

Our staff have extensive skills and expertise in the collation, analysis and interpretation of information. We help organisations make the best use of information which ultimately improves the effectiveness of their decision making processes.

We have a client-centric approach to projects and believe that it is important to involve clients/commissioning services at each stage of the process to ensure the data/output we provide meets their requirements.

Public consultation is an important element of any project and can frequently have a major impact on its success. Our extensive involvement in planning and delivering events across a range of sectors means we’re experienced in aspects such as: overall programme design, organising specific events, public presentations, awareness campaigns, analysis and media relations.

Fieldwork and recruitment

We use experienced interviewing staff from our list of Market Research Interviewers who have had extensive experience in interviewing consumers, members of the public and hard to reach groups.

Our skilled interviewers can also recruit for you for your own research purposes.

Qualitative research

Focus groups and mini groups

Our approach enables clients to obtain in-depth information about particular issues with specified groups of people, relatively quickly and inexpensively.

In-depth and stakeholder interviews

Interviews are conducted by telephone, face-to-face, via email or using a chat room facility. An interview is a good way of highlighting individual experiences and allows ‘follow up’ on questions where greater, more in-depth meaning can be probed.

Our skilled researchers conduct all of our interviews according to Market Research Society (MRS) guidelines.

Accompanied journeys and accompanied shopping

Understanding how consumers see a product, make a purchase or use a service via accompanied journeys and shopping can give great insight to the purchase decisions of a consumer or service user.

Other methods include:

• mystery customer research
• observation studies and ethnography studies
• electronic voting

Quantitative research

Attitudinal and behavioural surveys

We have a long history of performing postal, on street and household surveys and small scale telephone surveys. We can offer a full or part service ranging from survey design to the presentation of results.

Internet and email surveys

We can provide surveys that allow users to complete their surveys on the internet or by email in their own time. This approach reduces printing costs and completion errors plus can process a large volume of data where a fast turnaround is required.

Data preparation

We use a bespoke software package for questionnaire design which allows completed questionnaires to be scanned using OMR software.

Data analysis

We conduct descriptive analysis, counts and frequencies, cross-tabs and more bespoke analysis for use in presentations or reports. We strive to make these accessible to non-research staff through clear and concise explanations of results.

Other research types include:

• Best Value surveys
• citizens' panels
• traffic counts and parking studies
• product testing