our
approach
Open discussion with informants is of undeniable benefit, but working exclusively with what people say without examining what they think or do, only provides part of the story. We get past this obstacle via a range of techniques, methods and analytical frameworks.
We observe and listen to people, exposed in all their contradictions and complexities. Sapiens’ approach takes into account real-world experience, behaviours, values, motivations and aspirations, to get people right.
We explore the business question from the point of view of multiple stakeholders to uncover differences of interpretation or miscommunications, and serve as translators of meaning between corporate decision makers and their employees or consumers.
techniques
Human ingenuity calls upon various cognitive, emotional and behavioural functions when performing different tasks, such as: telling a story, explaining, writing, being visually creative, and doing customary or habitual tasks.
Research findings are more insightful and robust when a variety of approaches and techniques are used to stimulate mental processes.
Useful techniques include
- Ethnography and participant-observation
- Profiling patients, consumers or doctors
- Archetypes
- Brand mapping
- Simulations
- Collage/Brand imagery
- Confrontation
- Diaries and day-in-the-life reporting
- In situ intercept interviews
- Literature reviews
