Research objectives and questions are two of the most important elements of any research project. They help to guide the research process, ensuring that it is focused and productive.
Research objectives are broad statements of what you hope to achieve with your research. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, a research objective for a market research study on a new product might be to “determine the target market for the new product.”
Research questions are more specific than research objectives. They are the questions that you will seek to answer through your research. Research questions should be clear, concise, and answerable. For example, a research question for the market research study on a new product might be “Who is the most likely customer for the new product?”
How to define your research objectives and questions for market research
There are a few steps you can follow to define your research objectives and questions for market research:
1. Choose a product or service to research. The first step is to choose a product or service to research. This product or service should be something that you are interested in and that you have some knowledge about.
2. Do some preliminary research. Once you have chosen a product or service to research, it is important to do some preliminary research. This will help you to learn more about the product or service and to identify the gaps in existing knowledge.
For example, you might read some industry reports, conduct some interviews with experts, or survey some potential customers.
3. Narrow your focus. After you have done some preliminary research, you will need to narrow your focus. This will help you to make your research more manageable and to focus on the most important questions.
For example, you might decide to focus on the target market for the new product, the competitive landscape, or the customer journey.
4. Identify your research problem. The next step is to identify your research problem. This is the question or issue that you will be trying to answer with your research.
For example, you might ask “Who is the most likely customer for the new product?” or “What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competition?” or “What are the pain points at each step of the customer journey?”
5. Formulate your research objectives. Once you have identified your research problem, you can start to formulate your research objectives. Your research objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
For example, a research objective for the market research study on a new product might be to “determine the target market for the new product and to assess the competitive landscape.”
6. Formulate your research questions. Your research questions should be clear, concise, and answerable. They should be specific enough to guide your research, but not so specific that they cannot be answered.
For example, a research question for the market research study on a new product might be “What are the demographics and psychographics of the most likely customers for the new product?” or “What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competition in terms of their product, pricing, and marketing?”
Here are some additional examples of research objectives and questions for market research:
Example 1:
- Research objective: To determine the target market for a new product.
- Research questions:
- Who is the most likely customer for the new product?
- What are their needs and wants?
- What are their pain points?
- What are their purchase behaviors?
Example 2:
- Research objective: To assess the competitive landscape for a new product.
- Research questions:
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competition?
- What are the opportunities and threats in the market?
- What is the pricing strategy of the competition?
- What is the marketing strategy of the competition?
Example 3:
- Research objective: To understand the customer journey for a product or service.
- Research questions:
- What are the steps that customers take before, during, and after purchasing a product or service?
- What are the pain points at each step of the journey?
- What are the opportunities to improve the customer journey?
These are just a few examples of research objectives and questions for market research. The specific objectives and questions that you need to ask will depend on the specific product or service that you are researching. However, by following the tips in this article, you can write good research objectives and questions that will help you to achieve your market research goals.