Why Research Is Carried Out

Research means finding out information to inform your planning and design decisions for a media product, so your choices are based on evidence rather than guesses. It is not only about collecting facts: research also shapes the design, content and planning choices you make.

Understand the target audience. Research tells you what your audience likes, wants and expects. If you know they prefer short, funny videos to long explanations, you can make those choices early, so the product appeals to them and they keep watching.

Check that facts are accurate. Anything you publish can be seen by a wide audience, so wrong information damages trust and can mislead people. Checking a fact before it is published helps you avoid errors that are hard to take back.

Gather ideas and examples. Looking at existing products and styles gives you options for your own work. You might notice a clever way to open a podcast or a colour scheme that suits a poster, which you can then adapt during planning.

Reduce the risk of an unwanted product. Without research, you might spend time and money on something the client or audience does not want. Research lowers that risk before production begins, when changes are still cheap.

For example, a youth theatre wants a poster for its summer show. Research shows the audience is mostly 12 to 16 year olds who prefer bold artwork and a clear date over a long paragraph, and checking the show dates and times with the venue prevents a wrong detail going on 200 posters. That evidence makes the poster more appealing, accurate and less likely to be rejected.