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Home > Quality Assurance Quality AssuranceIntroduction
Market and social research is built on quality and will only continue to flourish if quality levels are maintained and improved. Buyers and users of market and social research need to have a good understanding of the various standards and have the confidence to ask for and expect these in the research that they buy or use. At the same time, people who participate in research need assurance that researchers are committed to protecting their interests, especially their privacy. AMSRO is strongly committed to work with the industry to help ensure the very best quality assurance and to uphold the standard for excellence in market research within Australia. We work:
AMSRO also endorses the Australian Market and Social Research Society's (AMSRS) Code of Professional Behaviour and has a policy of encouraging all research professionals employed by AMSRO member companies to join AMSRS and participate in its professional development programs.
The Quality Standards
AMSRO supports three Standards:
All AMSRO members are required to be accredited to AS: ISO 20252 unless they are part of the Interviewer Quality Control Scheme (IQCA) Interlinked with these Standards is the Qualified Practicing Market Researcher scheme (QPMR) managed by the AMSRS. For more information on QPMR please go to www.amsrs.com.au. A list of member companies certified to relevant industry standards is available here:
AS: ISO 20252: Market and Social Research Standard
The Australian Market & Social Research Standard (AS: ISO 20252) was published by Standards Australia in January 2007, replacing the earlier Standard AS 4752. This standard has over 300 "shall" compliance points. We encourage all buyers and users of market and social research to purchase or at least be familiar with the standards. The Standard can be purchased from SAI Global - http://www.saiglobal.com/ AMSRO has developed support documentation and training sessions to assist all companies to gain the ISO standard. More information can be gained by asking the Executive Director, Jane Gregory: jane@amsro.com.au Benefits of certification to AS: ISO 20252The adoption of consistent, standardised process in an AS: ISO 20252 based Quality Management System:
In addition, it can assist in:
Answers to frequently asked questions about AS: ISO 20252 are available here.
Assessment and certificationAssessment and certification to AS: ISO 20252 is available from two Industry-approved certification bodies - SAI Global and NCS International. These organisations are specialists in assessing companies to recognised standards and accredited by JAS-ANZ. Companies wishing to be assessed and certified to AS: ISO 20252 are able to seek price quotations from one of these certification bodies. Fees will typically based on consultant day rates, with the number of days related to the size of the company assessed and the AMSRO assessment specification. The fees include a small annual levy collected by the assessment bodies and passed on to AMSRO.
AS: ISO 20252 for small companiesAMSRO recognises the burden placed on small companies by the costs associated with quality assurance. We have brokered a deal with NCS International to provide small companies who are AMSRO members with certification for a flat fee of $1250. Small companies are defined as organisation employing under 5 full time staff members, with only one office and with limited services provision such as project management or consultancy only or data collection only. The final terms of this definition are at AMSRO's discretion. Small companies who are not AMSRO members pay the usual fee for the Standard but AMSRO offers them access to the general documentation for the Standard at no charge. The services of Cruse Partnership are also available to them at the usual day rate.
Quality Standard for Online Access Panels (QSOAP)AMSRO and AMSRS are committed to keeping at the forefront to bring the best possible panel solution for our industry. In 2008, the Australian industry took a lead in developing a new Standard to help protect the integrity of online research - the Quality Standard for Online Access Panels (QSOAP). AMSRO sees QSOAP partly as an interim measure until the ISO 26362 International Standard for Access Panels is released. QSOAP generally covers a specific online panel within a company: this specifically offers transparency and process as to how surveys are completed. The standard covers online data collection and online project management and has two levels - QSOAP and QSOAP Best Practice. The company operating the panel must be an AMSRO member. Applicants for QSOAP Best Practice must be certified to ISO 20252 to achieve the standard for its panel.
The Standard and a self-assessment tool designed to enable companies to check their compliance is available to AMSRO members who operate online panels. A copy of 'QSOAP Online Panel Standard' is available here A copy of 'QSOAP Online Panel Self-Assessment Tool' is available here Presentations detailing the new Standard are available for research companies and research buyers: Research buyers: Click here for a presentation on QSOAP Click here for answers to QSOAP FAQ's Research companies: Click here for a presentation on QSOAP Click here for answers to QSOAP FAQ's
AMSRO has engaged Cruse Partnership for the QSOAP certification process. Organisations wishing to apply for certification to the QSOAP standard for their online panel can print and complete the form below and post it with a cheque for the relevant amount to: AMSRO, PO Box 658, Glebe NSW 2037 Click here to download the QSOAP Application Form Audits can be scheduled after receiving an application. Please allow at least one month from receipt of the application form and fee to schedule the audit. Self assessments must be completed prior to an audit being undertaken. For more information contact: norine@cruse.com.au The Cruse Partnership offers assistance to members working towards ISO standards. Details of services and costs are available here. Interviewer Quality Control Australia (IQCA)BackgroundInterviewer Quality Control Australia (IQCA) was founded in 1991. It was a quality assurance scheme designed to ensure that data collection procedures provided reliable, high quality results, providing confidence to buyers and respondents. Initial funding was provided by a group of major research buyers. Who can obtain IQCA now?IQCA is available to existing certified companies while they work towards the AS: ISO 20252 implementation for smaller organisations who conduct fieldwork only. They must agree to comply with the AMSRS Code of Professional Behaviour and enrol at least one senior executive as a member of AMSRS. IQCA standardsIQCA companies are checked to ensure that they are:
IQCA only covers the four main categories of interviewing:
A summary of IQCA standards is available here. Quality Standards CommitteeA Quality Standards Committee has been established to look after the quality assurance interests of the market and social research industry in Australia. It is funded by AMSRO and supported by AMSRS. The terms of reference for the committee are available here. Background - MRQA
Quality assurance for the market and social research industry was originally managed by Market Research Quality Assurance (MRQA). MRQA was backed jointly by AMSRO and AMSRS and its role was to oversee quality standards in Australia. It was run by the MRQA Council, made up of members representing AMSRS, AMSRO and research buyers. In 2007 AMSRO took sole responsibility for MRQA and has since incorporated its work into the AMSRO. In May 2008 AMSRO appointed Cruse Partnership as its QA Manager, responsible for managing the quality standards in co-ordination with the Quality Committee. Contact
For more information on any issues relating to AMSRO and quality assurance, please contact Jane Gregory, Executive Director AMSRO: jane@amsro.com.au or (02) 9552 4618. Printer friendly versions PDF | Flashpaper | HTML Email page (Send article link and your comments) CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY | AMSRS | YOUR VIEWS COUNT
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