GreenBook Future List Spotlight: Amy Greenwood

When did you know you wanted to enter a career in insights, and what inspired you?

I think it’s quite common for a lot of people to fall into a career in insights, but this wasn’t the case for me. I left university with a strong intention to become a market researcher based on elements of my degree I really enjoyed. I was given the opportunity in my final year to team up with a local third sector charity and conduct a research project for them which would then be used to make key decisions in their organization. What inspired me to enter a career in insights was the ability to influence those key decisions and make a change. The role of a researcher has also suited my personality very well; I’m inquisitive, always wanting to know more and have a great desire to influence positive change for my clients.

What advice do you have for folks hoping to start a career in insights?

A career in insights is fun, challenging, and ultimately what you make it. Over the past ten years, the amount of support out there for new researchers has exploded exponentially. So, seek out the opportunities you’re interested in, develop a specialism, and keep abreast of the new developments in the industry. As a researcher, especially at a junior level, it can be hard to find a balance between the day-to-day work and engaging in wider industry discussions. But it is those macro and emerging trends that will have an impact on your career in 5 years’ time – so engage early and pursue those that interest you most. And, perhaps above all else, find a mentor who is going to fight in your corner. They may be a manager, a senior colleague, or from elsewhere in the industry. But wherever you find one, a mentor is an incredibly valuable asset to have.

What do you think the key characteristics or qualities of a leader are? How does this play into MRX?

I think there are two key defining characteristics that any good leader should strive for. The ability to make decisions even under difficult circumstances, and the capacity to place their team first. Within the research sector, where deadlines can be tight and pressure runs high – it is the responsibility of leaders to deliver results without compromising the welfare of their team. And that may require making difficult decisions about the scope, the order, or the ambition of a project. But we are all in this for the long haul. There will always be another project. But it’s how we treat our teams and the short-term decisions that we make that will define our success as a leader. And, of course, in this sector, we’re always seeking to influence business decisions. We should know better than most the value of good decision making. Therefore, it’s important we aren’t just good leaders ourselves, but help inspire others outside of the research & insights sector to be good leaders too.

What challenges do you see facing newer MRX professionals as technology advances?

While it’s likely there will be the challenge of developing and adapting to the new skills that new technology will necessitate, I don’t think that’s the largest challenge new research professionals will face. The industry, and those working in it, have adapted to that before. I think the largest challenge will be how to make effective technology decisions when the landscape becomes so large. Even right now, the choice of method and supporting technology is relatively limited. However, as emerging technologies become more mainstream, and the choice available to researchers expands, it is going to become increasingly difficult to effectively evaluate which solutions best meet the needs of a particular research challenge. There’s also likely to be the challenge of retaining control, as technologies continue to automate more and more processes. Which aspects of research require human intervention? Which don’t? Answering those questions will become a big challenge.

If you could change one thing about insights, what would it be?

The perceptions of research, insight, and the work we do. Let me explain that answer a little. As researchers and insights professionals, we are acutely aware of the value we can provide to a business, to a strategic decision, and to critical junctures. Yet even decades on, many organizations still see research departments as a sub-set of marketing that influences only marketing decisions. I am encouraged that these dated preconceptions are beginning to erode, and insight is being embedded into more decisions. While it may have some way to go before it’s considered as vital as a financial or operational influence, our voice is growing. I’m proud that my work at FlexMR is helping in that effort. And I’m extremely glad to see that other agencies and internal teams alike are also contributing to the cause.

Where do you see the future of insights heading in the next 10 years?

The research industry feels as though it is at a critical juncture. As the volume of passive data sources increases, and legislators & tech giants alike take bold stances on consumer privacy – I think the next few years will be mired in technical and legal complexity. But on the other side of that transition is a future where active, permission-based, and consumer-controlled data becomes the new norm. While this is happening, it’s also safe to assume technology will show no signs of slowing down. More and more of the simple, repetitive research tasks will be automated – leaving market researchers with a greater amount of time to dedicate to complex, behavior led studies and engaging insights activation.