A New KPI for Jargon-Free Research
When Dilbert starts making fun of the most common words in market research—actionable insights—it’s time to consider letting them go.
And now that nearly every marketing and research professional, every market research firm, and every data analysis tool touts a unique ability to offer actionable insight, I think we can now safely agree that the phrase is over-used and almost meaningless.
Let go of your jargon.
Why? Writer and storyteller Stephanie Buck offers three great reasons:
- There is usually a better way to say things
- Buzzwords lose meaning
- Using jargon doesn’t make us sound smarter
And how to you let it go? She suggests three strategies:
- Try to think of a different word. If you can’t come up with one, try harder.
- Think about your audience and what you’re really trying to communicate. Where are these people coming from? What are they interested in? Keeping these things in mind, how can you communicate your message clearly, simply, and effectively?
- Ask yourself if a fifth grader would understand it. That doesn’t mean you should weed out complexity, but think about simplifying language. Simple doesn’t mean stupid.
Clear, simple, direct communication is something that Versta Research can help you with. Our focus is on Helping You Turn Data into StoriesTM from the very beginning of a research effort all the way to the end. We write clear questions linked to specific business objectives. We tell you what is happening during fieldwork and how we are collecting data. We write reports that lay out answers to questions, with data brought in as supporting evidence. All without jargon.
So here’s a new KPI measure for jargon-free research we heartily endorse: the number of times each year you hire Versta Research. The higher the number, the more progress you are making towards having actionable insights research you can use.
