This is lesson thirty-seven. This is towards one of our missions. Education. You’ll learn everything about marketing - from the basics to the most advanced strategies - for free, thanks to VellumWorks.
Knowing what type of research to run is only half the job.
The other half is knowing which tools and methods to use and when.
Research tools and methods are the practical ways you collect, analyse, and interpret insight. Used well, they reduce uncertainty. Used badly, they create false confidence.
For charities, choosing the right tools matters because:
time is limited
budgets are tight
communities deserve respect
bad data leads to bad decisions
Tools vs Methods (Quick Clarification)
These are often confused.
Methods = how you gather insight
Tools = what you use to carry out those methods
Example:
Method: survey
Tool: Google Forms
Good research matches the method to the question, then selects the simplest tool that works.
Core Research Methods (With Practical Tools)
1. Surveys
What they’re for:
understanding opinions at scale
measuring satisfaction, awareness, behaviour
tracking change over time
Common tools:
Google Forms
Typeform
SurveyMonkey
Microsoft Forms
Best practice:
keep surveys short
include at least one open-ended question
be clear about why you’re asking
always close the loop (“Here’s what we learned”)
Use surveys when:
You need patterns, not deep stories.
2. Interviews
What they’re for:
understanding motivations
exploring barriers
unpacking emotional responses
learning how people think in their own words
Common tools:
Zoom / Google Meet
Otter / Notion / manual notes
phone calls (often underrated)
Best practice:
ask open questions
listen more than you speak
don’t defend your organisation
probe gently (“Can you tell me more?”)
Use interviews when:
You need depth, nuance, and context.
3. Focus Groups
What they’re for:
testing ideas
understanding shared perceptions
exploring group norms or beliefs
Common tools:
Zoom (with breakout rooms)
in-person sessions
Miro / Mural for collaboration
Best practice:
keep groups small (5–8 people)
use a neutral facilitator
avoid leading questions
watch for dominant voices
Use focus groups when:
You want interaction and discussion, not consensus.
4. Observation & Ethnography
What they’re for:
seeing what people actually do
identifying unspoken barriers
understanding real-world behaviour
Common tools:
field notes
video (with consent)
usability recordings
shadowing
Best practice:
observe without interrupting
document behaviour, not assumptions
reflect on context
Use observation when:
What people say doesn’t match what they do.
5. Usability Testing
What it’s for:
identifying friction in websites, forms, journeys
improving conversion and accessibility
Common tools:
Hotjar
Microsoft Clarity
UserTesting
simple screen recordings
Best practice:
test with real users
ask them to “think out loud”
focus on clarity, not aesthetics
Use usability testing when:
People are dropping off or getting confused.
6. Analytics & Behavioural Data
What it’s for:
understanding patterns of behaviour
spotting drop-offs and bottlenecks
measuring performance over time
Common tools:
Google Analytics
GA4
CRM dashboards
email analytics (Beehiiv, Mailchimp)
Best practice:
focus on trends, not vanity metrics
pair data with qualitative insight
avoid assumptions
Use analytics when:
You want to know what is happening, then follow up with why.
7. Feedback & VoC Tools
What they’re for:
capturing real supporter language
identifying pain points
improving CX
Common tools:
feedback forms
NPS surveys
email replies
support inbox analysis
Best practice:
ask simple, open questions
respond when appropriate
show what changed
Use VoC tools when:
You want to design experiences people actually want.
Choosing the Right Tool (A Simple Framework)
Ask yourself:
Do I need depth or scale?
Do I need emotion or numbers?
Do I need to explore, describe, or test?
What’s the least complex tool that will work?
Complex tools don’t equal better insight.
Clarity does.
Research Ethics & Safeguards
Especially for charities, tools must be used responsibly.
Always ensure:
informed consent
anonymity where appropriate
data protection
cultural sensitivity
no extractive research
feedback benefits participants
Research should never feel like surveillance.
A Practical Research Stack for Charities
You don’t need dozens of tools.
A strong, simple setup:
one survey tool
basic analytics
regular VoC question
occasional interviews
clear place to store insights
Consistency > complexity.
Turning Data Into Insight
Tools collect data.
People create insight.
After using any tool, ask:
What patterns do we see?
What surprised us?
What assumptions were wrong?
What decision does this inform?
What will we change next?
If research doesn’t change behaviour, it’s incomplete.
Why is this important to know?
The wrong tools create false confidence, and false confidence leads to poor decisions.
Research tools and methods help charities ask better questions, listen more carefully, and act with evidence instead of assumptions. When research is done well, it protects resources, respects communities, and strengthens impact.
At VellumWorks, we believe knowledge should be free. That’s why this series will guide you, step by step, through everything from the basics to the most advanced strategies in marketing: no jargon, no gatekeeping, just education that empowers.
