5 Trends Shaping the Future of Qualitative Insights: Key Findings from the 2024 GRIT Business & Innovation Report

By Jim Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Discuss

Each year, the Greenbook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) Business & Innovation Report provides a snapshot of the market research industry, highlighting key trends, challenges, and how the needs of insights teams are evolving. This year’s report paints a picture of an industry facing transformative shifts, particularly in response to generative AI, changing priorities within qualitative insights, and shifting dynamics in research methods. The report’s findings point to a world where teams beyond Insights—such as brand, marketing, and product teams—can more quickly and more easily engage with customers, ushering in a new era of consumer closeness.

Here are our top five takeaways from the 2024 GRIT Report and what they mean for brand and research teams looking to stay ahead.

1. Convergence of Quantitative and Qualitative Research

For years, experts have predicted the convergence of quantitative and qualitative research, and now it’s finally becoming a reality—setting a new standard across the industry. By blending these approaches or methodologies, organizations can unlock a 360° view of consumer behavior, combining the “what” of quant data with the “why” provided by qual insights.

For in-house teams, this convergence allows for deeper, more actionable insights:

• Quantitative data highlights the patterns and trends in consumer behavior.
• Qualitative research delves into the motivations, beliefs, and attitudes driving those patterns.

This holistic view enables better-informed decision-making, allowing brand teams to understand consumers at a deeper level. As a result, marketing and product teams are increasingly turning to both types of data to craft consumer experiences that truly resonate.

2. From Data Collection to Deeper Data Analysis

With data collection tools becoming more accessible and technological advancements like AI and automation gaining ground, qualitative research is shifting focus from gathering data to analyzing it. The growing demand for “faster and cheaper” results is driving teams to look for ways to efficiently sift through data to extract deeper, actionable insights. 

AI tools are playing a crucial role in meeting this demand with their ability to quickly sift through large, unstructured datasets—such as hours of interviews or pages of transcripts—to surface valuable insights almost instantly.

The result? Faster insights that allow brands to be more agile and responsive to market changes, responding to evolving consumer trends and preferences in real time.

3. Technology Integration is Key

Technology integration is reshaping the landscape of qualitative research and market insights. The report highlights the rapid adoption of AI-powered analytics, DIY research platforms, and other tools that help brand and research teams deliver faster, better insights.

For in-house teams, this trend represents an opportunity to use technology to stay ahead of the competition. Generative AI is rapidly gaining traction, with two-thirds of GRIT’s survey respondents already using or planning to adopt it, and 80% of companies supporting its integration into their workflows. Notably, GenAI is freeing up researchers’ time to focus on more high-impact tasks like analysis and strategy. This blend of AI and HI (human intelligence) empowers teams to harness the technology’s efficiency while applying their own expertise and creativity to deliver faster, better insights.

The integration of these technologies goes beyond just speed—it’s also about scalability. By simplifying the process of connecting with global audiences, anyone, regardless of their role or research experience, can easily scale their research and get closer to their consumers. 

4. The Growing Importance of Storytelling

In an era where data alone isn’t enough, storytelling has emerged as a powerful tool for bringing market insights to life. To stay competitive, researchers are prioritizing  skills in innovative methodologies and advanced qualitative techniques that enable them to not only capture human experiences but share them in ways that resonate deeply with key stakeholders. This means moving beyond static reports to more emotive, impactful formats—like video—that can convey the real voices, expressions, and emotions of consumers.

As the demand for richer, more human-centric insights grows, video reports are becoming a forward-thinking choice. They allow stakeholders to experience the insights firsthand and enable  brands to connect with their audiences on a more personal level – ensuring insights drive meaningful impact across product, marketing, and strategy teams. 

5. Optimism Amid Challenges

Despite challenges like staff reductions and the pressure to deliver insights faster, the report reveals a strong sense of optimism in the qualitative research field. Revenue growth and increased technology spending indicate that professionals in the industry are confident in the future of qual.

For brands, this presents a big opportunity to leverage qualitative market insights to differentiate themselves and stay ahead.The report highlights that companies investing in advanced tools like GenAI and innovative methods like uniting quant and qual, will be better equipped to navigate these challenges and unlock deeper, more meaningful consumer insights.

Reshaping Market Insights For Global Organizations

We continue to focus our innovation efforts on making it easy for in-house teams to connect with their key audiences to craft products, messages, and experiences that truly resonate with the hearts of their consumers.

As the report emphasizes, the future of insights is about creating a more holistic view of your target audience with a mixed method approach, expanding skill sets, and leaning into the latest technology to drive faster, more informed decisions. Discuss is proud to be at the forefront of this new era, helping our customers accelerate business growth fueled by innovative market insights.