How to Easily Find New Insights from Old Research Studies

A research study doesn't have to be a one and done deal. Research is expensive, but if it can be used multiple times, then your return on investment will greatly improve. And while every research study should be very focused, it still generates a lot of data – data that can potentially be used for other business questions beyond the one defined for the original research.

Here's an example of spending NO money on research but still getting massive amounts of insights.

While working with a client, it was clear they needed new product ideas but didn't have any money to spend on consumer research to uncover new insights. There had been numerous research studies from the last several years that could be repurposed. By learning how to find new insights from old research studies, we were able to yield the ideas the client needed.

It's like when you were a kid and repurposed boxes, sheets and blankets to create the best fort EVER! That's clearly different than their original intended use.

The result was a new presentation with new insights that provided the foundation for the team to brainstorm new product ideas – all done without spending any additional money on research.

There is so much hidden GOLD in mining research you already have, you merely need to use a different tool to find it.  But before you dive in, there are some things to keep in mind.

Create a System to Easily Find Old Research Studies

You can only repurpose a study if you know where to find it.  So, it’s important to create a system to archive studies, so you don’t spend time looking for the study or spend money again on similar research.

The biggest hurdle to companies not repurposing research is that they don’t have a good archival system, so they either can’t find the old studies or don’t know the research they have.  Set yourself up for success by creating this if you don’t already have a system in place.

Narrow in on Your New Research Question

Just like with any new research, you need to start by clearly articulating the business issue or question.  From there define your research question – see the blog on How to Define Market Research Objectives that Drive Action for a more in-depth review of this.  Then, determine who you’re researching – what are their demographics, purchase behaviors, etc.  Now, you have the basis of your new research.

Gather Old Research Studies and Evaluate Data Quality and Relevance

Go into whatever archive system you have and pull relevant studies that might be able to answer all or part of the question.  However, there are a few things to consider:

• The study should be relatively recent. Depending on the subject, research studies can have a shelf life of a few months to many years.  Check that the data in it would still be meaningful in today’s world.

• What was the participant sample from the original study, and would they be the same people you want for this question?  For instance, if you want to understand what mothers think about certain foods for their children, you’ll need to find studies that also surveyed mothers.

• Consider the sample size and check if it’s large enough and whether it will support statistical significance if needed for your new question.

• Check if the methodology is still valid/acceptable by today's standards.

• Watch for biases in the original study design that might affect your new use.

• Are there any questions within these original studies that would help answer your current question?  Studies often have a few broader questions that can be helpful even if most of the original questions are too specific for your current objective.

When Old Research Studies Only Provide Partial Insights

No original study will perfectly align to your new question, so it is highly likely that an archived study will only partially answer your question.  Even if what you already have only gets you 80% of the way, that may be enough to provide guidance on next steps for the business.

If you still have significant gaps that you need to understand to guide business decisions, then you may need to conduct a new research study.  But you may also just need targeted research to fill specific holes that you can then combine with the old research.  Always go back to the research question and business issue to determine if you have enough information to move forward.

Acknowledge the Limitations of Old Studies

It is important to be transparent about what the data was originally designed for, and you may need to caveat findings when repurposing data.  Make sure to avoid over-reaching conclusions that the original study was never set up to answer.

Organize and Summarize Your New Insights

Now that you have a “new” collection of data, it’s time to pull out the key points and insights just like you would any new piece of research.  That may mean cutting the data differently.  For instance, let’s say the original study was against a broader population sample, like adults 25+, but you’re interested in mothers which was a subgroup within that sample.  You can “cut the data” by pulling questions by only that subgroup of mothers which will give you a new data set different from the original.

Another approach is to pull out a different point from the data based on your new question.  A data table from one question can yield multiple insights.  For example, take a purchase frequency question: "How often do you purchase [product category]?"  This question was originally used to understand usage rates but can yield new insights about:

• Heavy user identification for targeting strategies

• Seasonal purchasing patterns when cross-referenced with timing

• Category engagement levels by age or income groups.

Communicate Your New Insights

As with any research, it’s important to effectively communicate the findings.  Check out the blog on How to Communicate Research Findings that Inspire Action for a more in-depth look at how to do this, but here are the key points:

• Know your audience

• Create a story before creating slides

• Simplify headlines

• Simplify the data

• Determine the right format to share

• Use visuals

• Include a call to action.

Summary of How to Find New Insights from Old Research Studies

Research studies that you’ve paid for should be mined as much as possible.  You don’t always need to spend money and time on a new research study to answer the question – look at what you already have.  And even if what you already have only gets you 80% of the way, that may be enough to provide guidance on next steps for the business.