HOW TO WRITE A

RESEARCH BRIEF

BPRI Guidelines
CONTENTS

ƒ Introduction
ƒ What information should I include?
– Background to the project
– Business and Research Objectives
– Target audience
– Approach
– Deliverables
– Timings
– Budget
– Project Team
– Next Steps
 INTRODUCTION

ƒ This document has been produced by BPRI to help

clients write effective briefs for research agencies
– We have developed this in response to a number of
requests we have received from clients for advice.

ƒ There is no right or wrong way to write a research brief;

however, following these guidelines will help to ensure:
– You as the client have a clear view of what is needed from
the research
– Internal parties have a clear view of what the research can
achieve
– Research agencies can respond with a relevant proposal
in a timely manner

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 WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD I INCLUDE?
There are certain areas
which should always be
included in a research brief.
Most client briefs or Requests
for Proposal (RFP) outline the
research need and let the
agency determine how best to
meet that need.
Some clients may wish to be
prescriptive and state exactly
how they want their needs to
be met, including stating
research methodology and
sample sizes.
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This document illustrates the
key sections and information
requirements to include in a
research brief:
ƒ Background
ƒ Your business and
research objectives
ƒ Your target audience
ƒ Thoughts on approach
ƒ Deliverables
ƒ Timing / Budget
ƒ The project team
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 WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND TO THIS PROJECT?

ƒ The ‘background’ section should cover:

– A brief description of your company/ division
– An outline of what you are seeking to achieve through
the research.
– What is the main business issue or problem you
are addressing? Why do you require this
research? Who will use the research internally?

– An outline of any existing research which may be

useful for the agency to be aware of/assess at a later
date
– Explanation of any unusual or specific issues the
agency should be aware of when conducting the
research

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 KEY BUSINESS AND RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

ƒ How will this research contribute to your

organisation’s business objectives? What aspects of
your business or market do you want to investigate?

– How this research will be used to address a key

business issue or objective (and by whom)?
– What are the key information needs including broad
question areas and whether these may vary by
audience/country/sector, etc?
– Will the findings need to be assessed by different sub-
groups (country, industry sector, location, function,
etc.)

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 WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?

ƒ Who do you want to talk to? Who are the audiences

for this service / product / issue?
– How does your organisation define target audiences
and what are their characteristics (e.g. company size;
levels of management; classification on a company or
public database)
– Which audiences need to be excluded via screening?
– Can your organisation offer any assistance with
generation of contacts for the research (e.g. is there a
database of customers/prospects already available)?
– Or do you need the agency to source contacts (free-
find or purchase lists, where available) for any key
audiences?

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 DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THE APPROACH?

ƒ Some organisations prefer the research

agency to recommend a methodology and to
discuss the rationale for their choice in the
proposal. However, it can be helpful if there is
direction from the client such as:

– Does the information need to be quantified –

e.g. assessing demand for a product/service? Quantitative
– What is the size of target audience? Is a
robust sample size required? Is statistical
analysis required?
– Or is there more interest in exploring issues
on a more open-ended basis? e.g. what are Qualitative
the underlying needs in a market?
– How will the findings need to be used? (e.g.
do findings need to be assessed by sector,
location, function, etc.)

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 WHAT SHOULD THE END PRODUCT LOOK
LIKE?
ƒ What do you and your stakeholders expect the output
to look like and how is this going to be used and by
whom? What does success look like?

– Would a presentation or debrief workshop be the most

useful way of disseminating findings?
– Will you need a series of presentations for different
audiences?
– Will you require an interim debrief or an executive
summary?
– Do you need feedback in a very succinct format to
facilitate a quick decision?
– Do you require any specific outputs – e.g. multiple
printed copies of presentations/reports, data
tabulations, SPSS data files, an online portal to host
the deliverables?

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 WHEN DOES THIS NEED TO HAPPEN?

ƒ One of the most important factors to include in the

research brief is timings.

ƒ When are interim and/or final results required? Do you

need to meet key internal or external deadlines? Are
these fixed?

– this can influence choice of methodology/approach and

sample sizes
– It has a major bearing on reporting formats
– It also allows the agency to assess capacity and their
ability to resource the project effectively
– Clients should be aware that complex studies, particularly
those involving international markets require several days
turn-around time for proposal design and cost estimates.
If in doubt, ask your agency for advice.

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 WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET?

ƒ Most agencies prefer that clients give some indication of

budget so that a research programme can be designed
within that budget range
– This allows the client to assess rival bids on a more level
playing field
– It also assists the agency with planning and resourcing
issues
– Ultimately the value of declaring a budget range upfront lies
in setting and meeting expectations in a commercially
sustainable manner. We all recognise that a £100,000
investment will typically require more preparation and
manpower than a £25,000 project.

ƒ However, if working in unknown territory, some clients are

not able to indicate the likely budget for research and
prefer the agency to design a research programme to meet
their needs and state the price

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 WHAT ARE THE SKILLS OF THE PROJECT
TEAM?
ƒ What is important for you to know about the agency
and team bidding to work with you?
ƒ The agency may have information on their website,
that doesn’t give you the specific detail you need to
assess their capabilities for your project.

– Who is going to manage the project? How will they be

supported?
– What experience does the agency have of similar
work?
– Do they work to internationally recognised quality
standards (e.g. ISO 9001 or MRQSA)
– What are the qualifications of their staff? Are they
members of professional bodies?

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 NEXT STEPS

ƒ A client research brief should indicate

– Who on the client-side can be contacted in case of

questions/ clarifications or pre-meetings?
– When the proposal is required by?
– Who should the proposal be sent to?
– How it should be sent, i.e. by email; if hard copy: the
number of copies required
– Will there be additional selection stages (e.g. in-
person pitch)
– Are there are any special circumstances (such as
procurement formalities e.g. the need to use an
anonymous label for the tender)

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 A well-planned brief
leads to better
research

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 BPRI
BRINGING BUSINESS
INTELLIGENCE
TO RESEARCH

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