Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for, manage and evaluate market research projects across an organisation.
The unit applies to individuals who are senior marketing professionals responsible for preparing market research plans for implementation, engaging external consultants, managing market research activity, and evaluating research processes and findings across an organisation.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1. Prepare market research plans for implementation | 1.1 Access policies and procedures and relevant regulatory guidelines relevant to market research 1.2 Develop and review market research project plan to point of finalisation 1.3 Identify and obtain required resources for implementation of market research project plan and work plans |
2. Engage external consultants or service providers | 2.1 Identify requirements for external consultants or service providers from market research project plan 2.2 Specify products and services required to implement plans, and detail criteria for selection 2.3 Identify and select external consultants or service providers of required products and services 2.4 Contract selected consultants or providers of products and services |
3. Manage market research activity | 3.1 Monitor work plan activity and confirm market research project plan comply with relevant organisational and legal requirements 3.2 Confirm compliance with organisational market research policy and procedures 3.3 Manage external consultants and providers of products and services, and confirm performance is in line with expectations and contractual requirements |
4. Evaluate research processes and findings | 4.1 Obtain research processes and findings 4.2 Confirm validity of information and data obtained 4.3 Review relevance and usefulness of findings from market research against research objectives outlined in market research project plan 4.4 Assess performance of project against relevant elements of market research project plan 4.5 Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders on research process and findings 4.6 Prepare reports for future improvements to research process 4.7 Implement revised policy and practices according to organisational requirements |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:
prepare, manage, implement and evaluate at least one market research plan, including:
developing specifications for research components, outsourced to external consultants
managing market research activities according to organisational policy and procedures
evaluating research processes and findings against relevant market research project plan and work plans
preparing and presenting a report on market research findings.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:
principles and practices of market research including:
data processing methods and data analysis techniques
project design to meet given budgets and other resource constraints
qualitative and quantitative research
sample design
development and application of hypotheses
role of research in enterprise development
use of survey instruments
project management principles and practices, including:
consultation and stakeholder involvement
development of policies and procedures
methods of action to ensure performance
monitoring of timelines, budgets and other implementation plans
organisational procedures for engagement of consultants
provisions of relevant legislation, codes of practice and national standards affecting market research.
Assessment Conditions
Skills in this unit must be demonstrated in a workplace or simulated environment where the conditions are typical of those in a working environment in this industry.
This includes access to:
examples of previous market research plans and exemplars of market research project specifications.
Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.
Foundation Skills
Reading | Accesses complex information from a range of sources and accurately analyses data relevant to marketing activities |
Writing | Prepares a range of workplace documentation, using clear language and required format, to convey priorities and critical strategic information |
Oral Communication | Actively participates in verbal exchanges using suitable language and non-verbal features Uses active listening and questioning techniques to confirm understanding |
Numeracy | Measures and analyses complex numeric information during evaluation process |
Self-management | Understands and adheres to organisational policies and objectives Is highly autonomous, taking responsibility and ownership for most or all aspects of own work |
Teamwork | Identifies importance of taking audience, purpose and contextual factors into account when making decisions about what to communicate with whom, why and how |
Planning and organising | Uses logical planning processes, and an increasingly intuitive understanding of context, to gather relevant information |
Problem solving | Makes a range of critical and non-critical decisions in relatively complex situations, taking a range of factors into account Recognises potential of new approaches to enhance work practices and outcomes |
Sectors
Technical Skills – Marketing