Skills Needed for Capabilities and Insights Role

Hi there!

See below some findings based on chatGPT and google research, that make sense considering my experience working with researchers at McKinsey.
Try to understand more of the different types of research mentioned, I believe the stat part (experiments, samples, etc) is relevant, as well as how to structure a broad research.

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• Quantitative Research:

  Focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis to establish relationships between variables. 

   

  • Examples: Surveys, experiments, correlational studies. 

     

• Qualitative Research:

  Emphasizes in-depth understanding of experiences, perspectives, and meanings through non-numerical data. 

   

  • Examples: Interviews, focus groups, observations, case studies. 

     

• Mixed-Methods Research:

  Combines both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the research topic. 

   

Common Research Methods and Techniques:

• Surveys: Structured questionnaires used to collect data from a large sample of participants. 

   

• Interviews: Gathering in-depth information through conversations with individuals, categorized as structured, semi-structured, or unstructured. 

   

• Observations: Observing and recording behaviors or events in a systematic manner. 

   

• Experiments: Manipulating variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships, often involving control groups. 

   

• Case Studies: In-depth investigations of a single individual, group, or event. 

   

• Secondary Data Analysis: Utilizing existing data sources like research papers, reports, or archives. 

   

• Focus Groups: Group discussions facilitated to gather qualitative data on a specific topic. 

  Best,

  Mari

Hi,

Could you share more context on the company you are applying for and the specifics of the role (e.g. which team), and what questions were asked of you in the interview. 

Without any of the above that it's hard for anyone to actually tell you what 'research methods' specifically mean. 

It sounds like you are applying for a role in a team that will have some aspect of customer research/insight generation? If that's the case it could be things like 

• e.g. understanding how to scope out and conduct your data gathering -> what would be the quotas? how would you define the sample size?
• e.g. understanding technicalities of surveys -> what are the pros and cons of different questions types say between an open ended text response versus slider? How would screen for bad responses?
• e.g. methods to get to insights -> K-means vs max-diff etc

Hi there,

First of all, congratulations on the progress in the application process thus far!

I would be happy to share my thoughts on your question:

• First of all, I would advise you to focus on the practical application of a few core methods that are most relevant for this role - survey design and analysis, expert interviews, and secondary research are typically key in such teams. Being able to explain when and why to use each method is more important than listing many.
• Moreover, I would advise you to understand the basics of structuring research: how to define a research objective, break it down into sub-questions, and choose appropriate methods to address each. Think through how to go from a business problem to an actionable insight, and be ready to walk your interviewer through that thought process.
• Lastly, I would advise you to practice talking through these methods out loud - ideally in a case-style setting. Even if your technical knowledge is solid, the interviewer is checking how clearly and confidently you can explain your thinking, which is often where candidates fall short.

You can find more on this topic here: How to succeed in the final interview round.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to best prepare for your upcoming final-round interviews, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there, 

I'd be a bit more 80/20 with this one and just try to get in touch with people who are now in that role, and have ideally joined recently (<2 y of tenure) and get a sense from them of what research skills are necessary.

Then you could brush up your knowledge specifically on those things. 

How do you do that?

You go on Linkedin and try to source those contacts. The article below explains how. Then you reach out to several of them. Not all of them answer. Out of those who will, some will be ok with connecting with you. Have a chat with them and get a sense of how they went about their prep to be successful in the interview.

• Expert Guide: How To Get Referrals Via LinkedIn?

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

Be practical — when exactly is your next interview?

If it’s coming soon, you won’t master every methodology in time. Your best move? Leverage your network. Ask around and jump on quick calls with research experts or people who’ve used these methodologies hands-on.

From there, pick 2–3 key methodologies and go deep. Understand when to use them, how they work, and their pros/cons. That’s 100x more valuable than name-dropping twenty you barely understand.

Depth > breadth in interviews — always.

Best,

Alberto

Hey there :)

Great that you’ve made it to final rounds! For a Capabilities & Insights role, they value both qualitative and quantitative research skills. Key methods include secondary research (e.g. industry databases, expert reports), survey design and analysis, market sizing, competitive benchmarking, and sometimes light data modeling or Excel-based analytics. Comfort with tools like Excel, Alteryx, or even basic SQL or Tableau can be a plus.

Try to show you can turn research into clear insights, not just collect info, framing matters a lot!

Let me know if you want help prepping examples!

Best,
Alessa :)

Hey, I can see you received plenty of good answers already.

I’d second the recommendation to get in touch with a current professional in the role you’re interviewing for.