Primary and secondary research

Primary research is collecting new information first-hand, also called field research. Common methods are surveys, questionnaires, focus groups and observation. Suppose you are testing an idea for a weekend board-game café. You could hand out questionnaires outside a comic shop asking players about their favourite games and snacks. Because you write the questions, the data is tailored to your decision, usually current and controlled by you. The downside is cost and time: designing fair questions needs skill, and focus groups use staff time, rooms and possibly travel.

Secondary research uses information already collected by someone else, also called desk research. Sources include internet research, market reports and government reports. Reading published Office for National Statistics figures on household spending in your area, or a trade magazine's report on café sales, is secondary research. It is often quicker and cheaper, and can provide a wide range of information and large amounts of data. However, it may not be specific to your café: the figures may cover the whole county, be several years old, or come from a source with something to promote. Secondary research is not always free either, as some market reports must be bought.

Comparing them

Primary research is not automatically better. A small, rushed questionnaire can be less trustworthy than a careful government report.