Once a buzzword, data-driven decision making has now become the standard operating procedure for businesses across industries. The more we rely on research, the more important it is to safeguard data quality.
Needless to say, it’s essential at Toluna to ensure our data is of consistently high quality. Our comprehensive quality framework, Toluna QSphere, is a core part of our commitment.
To explore our holistic approach to data quality in more depth, I sat down with our Global Head of Quality, Marie Hense.
1. Right off the bat, quality is a complex topic that can only be achieved when robust and comprehensive processes are in place. How does Toluna tackle these complexities?
Marie: At Toluna, we have a dedicated Quality team that focuses day to day on quality. They operate independently of our commercial, supply, and operations functions to ensure transparency, robust business processes, and maintain the highest standards of quality possible.
We’ve also appointed quality champions in each of our teams. These champions work together to ensure quality is considered at every step of the research process, and that established processes are being followed.
I’ll add that quality can only be achieved when multiple factors work together. For example, a questionnaire that isn’t engaging enough for respondents can lead to higher dropout rates among real respondents, creating a gap for fraudsters to exploit (because they don’t really care about whether a survey is entertaining or not). Fraud screening alone isn’t enough in this scenario – the entire research process needs to operate in sync to achieve high quality. That’s why we treat quality as a holistic topic that requires collaboration and buy-in across our organization.
2. Apart from internal controls, are there any external standards that back our approach to data quality?
Marie: Yes. We’re ISO 27001-certified and are in the process of achieving our ISO 20252 certification (which we’re hoping to have by August 2025!) Both qualifications involve independent audits by an external certification body. This ensures our processes aren’t just vetted internally but are validated by an external certification body on a regular basis. In our fast-developing market, it’s important to get challenged by external operators to ensure we continuously improve and develop our processes.
Speaking of challenges, we’re also strongly affiliated with industry bodies such as ESOMAR, the MRS, and the Insights Association, and we regularly contribute to industry-wide quality initiatives. These connections ensure we stay up to date on industry developments, from fraud screening techniques to methodological and technological advancements and beyond. Collaboration is key to achieving high quality data, so we’re always happy to contribute our time, expertise, and resources to meaningful industry initiatives.
3. Where can clients and prospects learn more about Toluna’s approach to quality?
Marie: Maintaining high quality is an organization-wide effort. It’s injected into everything we do, and we’re transparent about our efforts. We have multiple documents on-hand, and our methodology and panel management practices are documented in ESOMAR 37, as well as our Panel Book and Quality eBook.
In addition, our Quality team is always open to joining client calls to explain our processes in more detail or address any concerns directly. We welcome these conversations, because we know that trust is built through open communication. And quality can only be achieved when everybody across the research process works together.
