How we run fieldwork; the Acumen way.

When a new project lands with us at Acumen, there’s a moment of excitement. A new challenge, a new audience to understand, a new story waiting to be uncovered.

But great fieldwork doesn’t happen by accident. Behind every successful project is a clear process, careful planning and a fantastic team making sure every detail is handled properly.

Over the last 20 years we’ve refined a simple, structured approach that guides our clients from the first conversation through to fieldwork and beyond. It keeps everything running smoothly, gives our clients full visibility at every stage, and most importantly ensures the people taking part in market research truly represent the audience you want to understand.

Here’s how it works.

1. Client briefing: getting aligned

Every project begins with a conversation.

During the client briefing stage, we take time to properly understand what you’re trying to achieve. Your objectives, the audience you want to reach, the type of research you’re running and any practical considerations around timing or methodology.

Once we’re aligned, we formalise the brief and translate your objectives into a clear recruitment and fieldwork plan. That means agreed criteria, expectations and timelines are all in place before anything begins.

It’s the solid foundation that everything else is built on.

2. Schedule of delivery: setting the roadmap

With the brief confirmed, we map out a realistic schedule for the project.

This timeline outlines each stage, from recruitment and screening through to fieldwork and final delivery. It gives everyone visibility on what’s happening and when, ensuring the project progresses smoothly without surprises.

Good research moves quickly, but it also moves carefully. Having a clear roadmap means we can do both.

3. Screener approval: targeting the right voices

Recruitment starts with the screener.

We develop and refine the screening questionnaire to make sure we’re reaching precisely the right participants for your research. Whether you’re speaking to consumers, patients, professionals or specialist audiences, the screener ensures we’re finding people who genuinely match the criteria.

Before anything launches, you’ll have full visibility and sign-off. That way everyone is confident we’re targeting the right voices from the outset.

4. Recruitment begins

Once the screener is approved, our recruitment team over at Research Opinions gets to work.

Using our 250k in-house participant community alongside carefully managed outreach, we begin sourcing the right people for your project. Every conversation is handled thoughtfully and professionally, ensuring we secure engaged participants who are genuinely representative of your audience.

Recruitment is often where the real craft of fieldwork lies. It’s about listening carefully, asking the right questions and ensuring every participant is the right fit.

5. Participant checks and client approval

Before fieldwork begins, every participant is carefully verified. We start by using Acumonitor to weed out any potentially fraudulent participants.

We then confirm that they meet the agreed criteria and compile detailed participant profiles for you to review. You’ll always have the opportunity to approve the final participants so you can feel completely confident in the people representing your audience.

It’s another layer of reassurance before research goes live.

6. Fieldwork and project wrap-up

With everything in place, fieldwork can begin.

Once the sessions are complete, we don’t simply move on to the next project. We close the loop properly, from final confirmations and incentive processing through to internal debriefs where we capture learnings and review what worked well.

It ensures every project finishes as smoothly as it started, and leaves us ready for the next brief.

A process designed to make research easier

Market research projects can involve a lot of moving parts. Recruitment, logistics, participant management, timelines and communication all need to work together seamlessly.

Our process is designed to keep things simple for our clients. You always know where the project stands, who is involved and what comes next.

Behind the scenes, our team is quietly making sure everything runs exactly as it should.

When fieldwork is handled properly, you’re free to focus on the insights that matter most.

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