is important is that every Insights leader has a clear to forecast/measure ROI, and be clear with the understanding of the insource/outsource options and reporting needs you have. the real costs vs. opportunity costs involved in each You also need to be crystal clear on the decision. dissemination tools you are going to be using on We recommend doing a separate ROI analysis of your each project. team’s time use using a proper hour-rate equivalent; Demand that your partners, in turn, specify in their your CFO and his team can help you here if you don’t proposal how their solution will deliver the ROI, know it. Once you know the real cost of DIY, and the as well as the data to enable ROI forecasting/ opportunity cost of doing that versus other activities, it measurement. is easier to make a comparison to the outsourcing costs and make an informed decision. Reporting Ensure that your partners deliver on the proposal How to Involve Your Agency and report the data and insights in ways that feed Partners in ROI Measurement into your dissemination process, and feeds into your ROI reporting process as well. RFQs / Proposals In order to ensure that your partners design research “I’m very open- in an appropriate way- with all our projects that not only deliver a strong ROI but allow you to report on that ROI, you need to be business data with them. So, KPI and things like as transparent as possible with them about the that, ultimately, if that’s proving whether something business objectives, as well as the ROI objectives has worked or not, the brief, the response from the for the project. In particular, you should inform your partners agencies, they have to know that to build the right about the surrogate variables you intend to use blend of methodology to get us to that answer.” Head of Insights, Consumer Services