A new ISO standard designated ISO 20252:2006 has been released for Market, Opinion and Social Research.

As stated in the introduction of the standard “The standard was issued to promote the principles of international quality standards to market, opinion and social research and to harmonize other national standards already available.”

By implementing this standard an organization can show clients that their research will be carried out under controlled conditions thereby providing a high level of confidence that they can rely on the results. Reporting guidelines in the standard apply to both Quantitative and Qualitative research.

The structure of the standard is shown below.

3 QMS Requirements

4 Managing the Executive Elements of Research

5 Data Collection

6 Data Management and Processing

7 Report on Research Projects

3.1 Organization and Responsibilities

4.1 Responding to Research Request

5.1 General

6.1 General

7.1 General

3.2 Confidentiality of research

4.2 Project Schedule

5.2 Management, Recruitment and Training of Fieldworkers

6.2 Electronic Data Entry

7.2 Quantitative Research

3.3 Documentation Requirements

4.3 Assistance by and cooperation with clients

5.3 Conducting Data Collection by Fieldwork

6.3 Hard copy Data Entry

7.3 Qualitative Research

3.4 Competence and Training

4.4 Questionnaires and Discussion Guides

5.4 Fieldworker Validation (Ex. Qualitative Research)

6.4 Accuracy of Databases not Requiring Data Entry

3.5 Subcontracting / Outsourcing

4.5 Managing Sampling and Data Processing

5.5 Qualitative Data Collection

6.5 Coding

3.6 Reviewing the effectiveness of the QMS

4.6 Monitoring the Execution of Research

5.6 Self-Completion Data Collection

6.6 Data Editing

4.7 Research Documents, Materials and Products

5.7 Data Collection from Secondary Sources

6.7 Data File Management

4.8 Reporting of Research Results

5.8 Data Collection Records

6.8 Data Analysis

4.9 Research Records

6.9 Electronic Data Delivery

6.10 Back-up, Retention and Security of Data

If your organization is considering implementing the requirements of this international standard contact us. We can provide quality consulting that will assure your quality system will meet the requirements of this market, opinion and social research standard.

Not sure how your current QMS complies with the ISO 20252:2006 standard? LQT, Inc. can provide you with a gap analysis audit. This gap analysis can be used as a planning guide to implement the necessary improvements required to be in conformance to the standard.