How to use market research

 
Designing communication solutions that are to be scalable in the long run requires meticulous planning from the start. A crucial requirement for this is using a people-centric approach to ensure that new communication solutions resonate with intended audiences.

Detailed market research carried out in the immersion stage of the Human-Centred Design (HCD) process necessarily includes extensive desk research, visits to project areas, technical health consultations, and primary research – in Bihar, for example, it included a mobile landscaping study and baseline survey. This process went beyond an understanding of the issues being addressed – in this case, maternal and child health, – by helping us understand the beneficiary universe in a broader, more holistic manner.

In Bihar, in-depth market research allowed BBC Media Action to create a strategic plan around key audiences, followed by a detailed communication framework which unpacked priority behaviours across the 1000-day period, ultimately forming the basis of all communication solutions developed during the project.