Measurement Fundamentals: Contextualizing your internal comms data

There’s much debate over whether traditional measurement tactics can effectively address the needs of today’s distributed workforce. Survey fatigue is real and pulse surveys don’t always go deep enough. Focus groups are challenged to reach new generational demographics and incorporate where we work into the mix.

“We’re not just evaluating channels,” said  RCG Co-Founder and Senior Partner Jim Ylisela. “Or content. It’s about what content we put where—and when.”

During Ragan’s Employee Communications and Culture Conference this past April, Ylisela examined how internal measurement tactics are evolving with Kristina Gill, measurement expert, owner of Gill Research, and an RCG consultant.

But before being tactical or strategic, you must understand the nuances that give your data context and meaning.

Qualitative versus quantitative data

Evolving your messaging tactics to keep up with a changing workforce requires data—but which type? Understanding the difference between quantitative and qualitative data will inform which output mix makes sense for your needs.

Quantitative data looks at the numbers or amounts of something to tell you:

Qualitative data, as the name suggests, takes context into account to tell you:

Outputs and Outcomes