From a dining room table to 25 years of insight: What has changed the most

What began at a dining room table has grown into a company that has partnered with clients across industries, continents and eras of change. Looking back, we asked ourselves: What has changed? And just as importantly: What has stayed the same?

If there has been one constant over the past quarter century, it is this - everything changes.

We’ve moved from DOS to AI, from dial up internet to high speed fibre connectivity, from paper questionnaires to digital platforms, from dusty storage rooms full of questionnaires and files to limitless cloud archives. Libraries and physical documents once defined research; today, we have immediate access to global data sources.

And the pace of change has only accelerated. Research is now faster and more agile than anything we imagined in our early days.

What has changed most?

1. The digital revolution

New tools have transformed how we design studies, collect information, analyse data and share insights. But embracing technology thoughtfully remains essential.

2. Mixed method approaches

When Livingfacts started, combining qualitative and quantitative research was almost unthinkable. Today, integrating online, CATI, face to face and tech based methods within a single study is not only normal - it's often necessary.

3. Greater flexibility

Timelines, budgets and client’s needs evolve quickly. Flexibility in design and execution has become a defining feature of modern research.

4. Speed and automation

Everything is faster - from scoping and data collection to reporting and presenting. Interestingly, Governance processes are slower and more complex, shaped by stronger ethics, data privacy and personal rights requirements.

5. AI and the human touch

The debate about AI’s role and where it should be used in research continues, but one thing is clear: the future is human thinking enabled by AI. Machines can generate, summarise and automate - but interpretation, judgement, contextualisation and understanding remain human strengths.

The tools, timelines and technologies may have transformed dramatically over the past 25 years. But the heart of research - understanding people, supporting decisions and helping organisations act with insight - has stayed exactly the same. More about that in our next article.

Here’s to the next 25 years of learning, adapting and partnering with clients on their knowledge and insights journey.

Book a consultation to gain actionable insights for your business strategy.

Call Marylou Kneale on 082 807 4043 or az.oc.stcafgnivil@elaenk.uolyraM or Heidi Clowes on 082 562 9111 az.oc.stcafgnivil@sewolc.idieH.