How to Analyse Culture: Semiotics
Semiotics is about how ideas are represented in culture
Methods
We use these methods
√ Surveys - online, CATI
√ Qualitative, exploratory research
- One-on one interviews - Webcam, phone, F2F
- Ethnography - digital and F2F
- Online communities
- Focus groups - online and F2F
√ Cultural insight
- Semiotics
- Discourse analysis
How People Talk
Discourse Analysis is a form of desk-based qualitative research that can reveal astonishing insights into how people think and what they plan to do in the future by analysing the words they use.
Semiotic analysis of packaging or websites
What is semiotics?
Semiotics is the study of the meanings conveyed by signs and symbols. These signs and symbols can be shape, texture, colour, sound - anything actually.
We conduct advanced qualitative research
We conduct advanced qualitative research. This means:
- We use conceptual models to drive our thinking, including our sensemaking model of decision-making, and symbolism and ritual models or consumer behaviour.
- We frequently use a mix of qualitative research methods including semiotics and ethnography.
- Our researchers are senior, experienced researchers, fluent in qualitative methods.
Our qualitative research philosophy
Our qualitative research gives clients a deep understanding of people and the culture they live in.
We focus our research on understanding 'people' - we don't call them 'consumers'. We know how people use symbols to express their emotions and rituals to create meaning, and how they have a drive to make sense of their experiences. We use qualitative research to find out how people really make decisions and discover why they buy and use your product or service. We reveal how our clients' products and services fit into the rich tapestry of people's lives.
Qualitative research needs to be designed by people who understand people, as we do. We are trained in the social sciences and the humanities. We understand motivations, perceptions, cognitive schemas, and rituals and we appreciate the power of the imagination. We have fine-tuned traditional techniques such as projective techniques and laddering, make extensive use of implicit techniques such as tasks and observation, and combine that with a sense of excitement about what technology can bring to research.
Sue is a regular speaker at conferences, workshops and training courses on qualitative research for, for example Research Society, NewMR, QRCA, and Qual360
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