Be an Informed Consumer of Neuro-Based Research

Get a copy of our full white paper on due diligence here.

Neuro-research requires unique skills and qualifications - different from those required for traditional research techniques. As a buyer of this kind of research, you are probably not familiar with the language and methods of this new discipline. As a result, you may find it difficult to assess the quality and relevance of different vendors and specific research results.

Unlike more established market research areas, there are no standards bodies or oversight associations yet in place to certify neuro-research practitioners and methodologies. We hope to rectify that by banding together with other reputable providers to sponsor such a group.

Lucid believes it is extremely important that potential buyers perform a thorough due diligence process on any prospective neuro-research vendor, to be sure that vendor has the experience, qualifications, and track record you can trust.

To help in this due diligence, we propose the following checklist of key questions to ask.

1. How much experience do your primary researchers have in the neuroscience, research, and marketing fields?
   

   Request CVs or resumes of all principals. Ask specifically about direct neuroscience experience.

2. How directly involved are your senior neuroscientists in developing and delivering my research projects?
   

   Experienced neuroscientists need to be active participants in research projects, not just figureheads. Question the vendor closely about how scientists are involved in your projects.

3. Will I be able to speak to your leading scientists directly and regularly?
   

   It is always useful to request direct phone calls with members of the scientific team. Ask them how and when they will be available to participate in your project, and how they will be involved in the oversight and production of your deliverables.

4. Can you show me how your techniques are related to established neuroscience research?
   

   There is a vast literature in neuroscience with direct relevance to the needs of product developers and marketers. Your vendor should not only be intimately familiar with this literature, they should also be able to show you precisely how and where the techniques they employ are derived from established research models.

5. Are your experimental techniques approved by an Independent Review Board (IRB) for proper treatment of Human Subjects?
   

   IRB approval is a very important due diligence factor in evaluating a neuro-research vendor. Be aware that IRB approval is more than just getting "informed consent" from research subjects. Verify that your vendor's research is fully covered by an IRB approval asking for the name and phone number of the vendor's IRB and contacting them directly.

6. Can we speak directly with any reference customers for whom your company has provided services?
   

   It is true that some customers prefer to remain anonymous, but early-stage companies like most neuro-research vendors cultivate and rely on reference accounts to convince later customers to give them a try. Request direct phone calls with at least one reference customer who can vouch for the vendor and the quality of their work. Ask to call the reference yourself, rather than have them call you.