Tom H. C. Anderson - More Than Market Research

KDnuggets.com posted a poll asking readers if they expected more or less business for data/text mining and analytic services. Most of us expect it actually to be good for business!

Perhaps business have realized that DM is actually an even better investoment/ROI in leaner times?

-Tom

This week Conjoint and Discrete Choice are on my mind. I read somewhere recently that about 300 such studies are done in the US each year. Not too many I would say.

Made me wonder what proportion of market researchers have ever conducted a conjoint, and among those that do use them what the most popular method is? It seems our clients often prefer to use whichever technique they already have experience with.

Sawtooth is obviously the leader in this field. Surprisingly other larger analytics software providers haven’t seemed to challenge them much. Sort of surprising, especially since the math doesn’t seem too difficult.

Tom

Organized people are just too lazy to look for things!

After a little more research, I’m starting to think a 3 monitor configuration may be ideal. Also, I understand that while 24″ and 26″ seems to be better than 18″, there may be some evidence to suggest a decrease in productivity at displays of >= 26″ (at least according to one study). But Al Gore above is obviously not following this advice with his triple 30″ set up. Actually what I like best about this picture is that it makes my desk look neat in comparison

After Thursday’s post someone also mentioned 3-D Virtual Desktops to me as an option, especially virtual desk top cubes. But I don’t think these are so much better than alt-tabbing between various applications. An exception might be combining them with multiple operating systems on one larger monitor, if that is something you need. I found an example video of Quad Operating Systems on a 3d virtual desktop ‘cube’. Looks like they have Windows, Mac, Linux etc. running together:

More interesting is probably glasses. I’m not thinking the kind with the monitors inside the lenses, but rather the glasses are used for head tracking to tell the PC/monitor where you are. I thought this video using wii as an example was interesting and may be telling of what is to come:

Some providers to check out:
Cinemassive Displays, (explains why to give multimon a try).
Digital Tigers

Tom

Today I’m trying desperately to find a copy of the presentation that Kim Dedeker of P&G presented at the 2006 IIR Research industry Summit on Improving Respondent Cooperation. She gave three online concept test examples that would have given wrong results.She was also quoted as saying “Two Surveys a week apart yielded different recommendations… I never thought I was trading data quality for cost savings”

If anyone has a copy or could tell me where to find it on the web that would be great. Alternatively if you saw the presentation and know of the specific issues she ran into I would appreciate any info.

Will share what I can

Thanks

Tom

If you’re like me, you probably spend more time in front of your computer than you do driving, watching TV, or sleeping all added together.

I’ve been using “dual monitors” (2), for quite some time now and don’t know how I got any work done before?

So it’s time for me to update to a more powerful/faster system again and I was thinking if two is good, three must be better. After all, I understand that’s how many Bill Gates uses.

But then I started thinking…why stop there? Perhaps 4, 6, or 8? Searching for productivity research about “multimon” as it is known, I find relatively little written in terms of the ideal number and set up.

So I’m wondering if anyone else has thought about this and/or has experience with multimons? How many is ideal? What set up…one large in the center with smaller sides or all the same size?

Tom

Yesterday Linkedin made a searchable group directory available. This group directory allows you to search groups of interest and apply to join those you like. This feature has been available on Facebook for some time, but only a very limited initial directory had been available on Linkedin until yesterday.

I’m already a member of quite a few groups. I join them mainly for a wider network reach. Unfortunately the group moderators of a few of these have gotten a bit spammy. Still, as of now I would say it is still worthwhile joining a few.

To find groups you might like to join search the directory here: http://www.linkedin.com/groupsDirectory

-Tom

PS. To share this information with someone in your network on Linkedin click here

Heading to my local Starbucks this morning I was shocked to see a very long line. Are they giving out free coffee? Even if they were, the line wouldn’t be this long.

The line was actually for the AT&T store next door. I had forgotten that today the new iPhone 3G went on sale. My wife was aware and had asked me just last night if we should get one. “It’s faster, better, and twice as cheap as the original!”

Sitting there drinking my coffee I was looking at the line and admiring the marketing efforts of Apple. As a market researcher I was also trying to determine what if anything the customers had in common. It was difficult, there were people of all ages and ethnicities. I would say generally a few less corporate looking types - which I guess is the point.

The iPhone is what everyone who doesn’t want to be like everyone else has to have, LOL

Will you be getting one?

-Tom

Anderson Analytics’ Tom H. C. Anderson to speak on text analytics in market research and competitive intelligence at University of Connecticut, Stamford July 9th

For those back from their 4th of July vacations and interested in how to apply text mining in market research and competitive intelligence, I’ve been invited to speak at the University of Connecticut, Stamford by the Connecticut chapter of SCIP (Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals). I’ll be covering text analytics overall briefly and then move on to some specific case studies with a mix of market research and competitive intelligence applications.

Below is additional information from SCIP including registration on their site. Hope to see some of you there!

-Tom
Text Analytics for Competitive Intelligence and Market Research

Date: July 9th, 2008 - 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Location: UConn-Stamford Campus, Room 107

Directions: http://stamford.uconn.edu/maps.htm

Cost: $35.00 - SCIP members, $45.00 - non-members, $20.00 - Students
(includes Light Hot & Cold hors d’ouvres and refreshments)

Register at: http://members.scip.org/scriptcontent/BeWeb/events/eventdetail.cfm?&PRODUCT_MAJOR=CTSNE0708

Information: Fred Wergeles, CT Chapter Chair, 860-408-9093, Email Fred [at] IntelStrategy.com

Presentation:
Text Analytics allows research professionals to finally gain insights from the majority of data collected in business (80% which is in unstructured/text format). Learn how Anderson Analytics, the first consultancy to harness the new technology in ad-hoc research has leveraged the technique in a wide range of situations. Case studies will be discussed including work done with Starwood Hotels and Unilever.

Speaker:
Tom H. C. Anderson is founder of Anderson Analytics, a next generation research firm which leverages new technologies such as data and text mining with traditional market research techniques.

Mr. Anderson has presented extensively on text analytics over the past few years at industry and academic events. Anderson Analytics methodologies and best practices have been covered in several journals and text books this year including Business Research Methods 10e and Qualitative Market Research - Approaches and Applications.

He received an MBA with honors from the University of Connecticut, and a Masters in Economics with honors from Lunds Universitet, Sweden.

Writing today to wish all of Anderson Analytics’ US friends and clients a very happy Independence Day.

Have a great weekend!

-Tom

Stamford, CT USA - July 3rd 2008 Fireworks

First day back in the office stateside today. I noticed in this morning’s mail I had been elected to the Stamford Historical Societies Board of Directors where I have been serving the past few months on the board unofficially. It should be fun to learn more about Stamford’s history and help the society with their marketing efforts.

As interesting as US and Stamford’s history is, it’s hard to compare with what Europe has to offer. I mentioned a few of them recently here on the blog, like Glimmingehus in Sweden and Roskilde Viking Ship Museum in Denmark.

On this last trip to Sweden, my wife and I also visited a few megalithic monuments, one which is about 5000 years old, another from the bronze age (about 3000 years old), and the other more recent, from the end of the Iron Age (500 AD). The latter, known as Ale’s Stenar (Ale’s Stones) looks a lot like Stonehenge but is shaped like a Viking Ship and placed high atop a hill with the sea on three sides.

It’s very impressive when viewed as a grave and when you consider all the work it must have taken to move these stones into place. But even more interesting is when you consider it from an archeoastronomical perspective. Apparently, the placements of the stones also seem to function as a very accurate calendar not just for 365 day year but also for the autumnal and vernal equinox, the winter and summer solstice etc.

It occurred to me that considering the time and effort it must have taken to set this up, perhaps the ancient Vikings, Babylonians, and Egyptians valued analytics more than we do today?

-Tom

A few more shots:

Stern & keel alignment

View from stern forward

At a distance

Coastline