Greater consistency
We basically wanted to make the AQR Directory more user-friendly for everyone, to encourage a little more consistency across agency entries, so that clients would find it easier to compare agencies and to draw up a list of agencies of interest based on the entries.
You will find a whole new section for independents, and this is to enable them to communicate directly with potential clients — whether agencies or client organisations themselves — recognising the important role they play within the industry.
The tabs and colour need no introduction, as you will have already seen them (perhaps to get to this section!) and will help users to navigate quickly from one section to another, for example, if you need to find a new viewing facility at short notice. Your Directory has been printed on sustainable paper, so you can still be paper based with a clear conscience (although the Directory is fully online if you prefer that for quick access, a topic I'll cover later).
You will, therefore, find the following sections in your new-style Directory:
AQR Committee members
The areas that we work on may change throughout the year, so if you'd like to get in touch with a query or to discuss an idea, just get in touch with any of us or with the AQR office, and we can direct you to the best person to help
Independent Practitioners
As highlighted above, this is a brand new section, so please do have a look as it's been designed specifically with the AQR membership in mind.
Articles
This section has been refocused to act more as a guide for navigating the Directory, to introduce newcomers to AQR, and to provide an insight into its activities. You will, however, be receiving In Brief and In Depth for regular news and thought pieces on qualitative research.
Useful contacts
As before, this section can direct you to other industry bodies that may be of interest to you, depending upon your sectors of interest
Company Profiles
This covers Research Practitioners, Overseas Research Practitioners and Suppliers of Services. In this section, as hinted above, we've aimed to introduce a little more consistency, particularly to help buyers of qualitative research find companies with interests closely aligned to their own. This has, unfortunately, meant limiting the number of areas of specialism. There is, however, the added benefit that research buyers will know that agencies really are experts in this field.
Clients and agencies alike will also have the reassurance of knowing that all employees listed are members of AQR. Readers will also note that this year, for the first time, entries — as in any reputable publication — are in strict alphabetical order for ease of navigation. This means, for example, that those with an adverb "The" before the name will be listed under "T". The index will be cross-referenced, though.
List of AQR members
This section is as it says on the lid. You will, however, find that winners of the Prosper Riley-Smith Research Effectiveness award have been marked out — so they can bask in their glory for a bit longer!
Master Index
This really needs no explanation or introduction.
