Agile Research System for Apparel, Ecommerce, and Retail: A Scalable Qualitative Program Across Two Divisions  

Agile System Design, Resourcing, and Templates for Speed with Rigor

C+R Research proposed a tailored agile research system to carve out cost and time efficiencies while preserving flexibility to customize for each project and for each division’s objectives. The model emphasized fresh recruitment per need, structured ownership across divisions, and included pre‑work that enabled rapid setup without sacrificing quality or cultural sensitivity.

• Team structure and governance: A designated analyst team was organized with clear ownership across the two divisions, optimizing collaboration and enabling deeper category immersion in Home versus Apparel & Accessories.
• Recruitment at speed: Pre‑built templates and programs, plus an agile recruitment partner, enabled rapid fielding while leaving space to tailor criteria to each initiative.
• Research templates and workflow: Reusable, division‑aware templates for discussion guides, mission briefs, and reporting gave each study a strong foundation while allowing customization for specific objectives.

This backbone supported an initiative mix that included asynchronous communities, in‑store missions, and synchronous shop‑alongs and interviews, ensuring consistent quality and faster cycle times across both divisions.

The projects: Four Immersive Studies Duplicated Across Two Divisions

Across the six‑month window, the team executed approximately four core qualitative projects, each duplicated across Home and Apparel & Accessories to reflect division‑specific nuances and shopper contexts. Topics ranged from online marketplace dynamics and digital path‑to‑purchase to in‑store shopping processes and experiential pain points, with C+R specialists (e.g., UX and in‑store experts) pulled in as needed to augment the core team.

• Mixed‑mode immersion: Each project blended asynchronous depth with synchronous moments to capture both reflective narratives and in‑the‑moment behaviors, ensuring robust insight across touchpoints.
• Decision‑ready deliverables: Two initiatives culminated in video reports and edited reels, distilling rich media into concise, shareable narratives for executive and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Division‑specific nuance: Findings and recommendations were tailored to Home and Apparel & Accessories, balancing shared lessons with category‑specific action items.

This programmatic approach ensured insights could immediately inform merchandising, site experience, and operational improvements, rather than waiting for long synthesis cycles.