The following 1.5 hour workshop will be presented at both the 12th Sensometric Meeting (Chicago, Illinois; July 29-August 1, 2014) and the Society of Sensory Professionals 2014 Meeting (Tucson, Arizona; September 17-19, 2014):
Design – Analysis – Interpretation: Getting sensory research right
Sensory professionals and statisticians have a significant impact on business decisions, such as product formulation and reformulation, and new products launches. Recommendations must be supportable and evidence-based, while maximizing the insight that can be gained from the research. Careful considerations are necessary to ensure the collection of data efficiently addresses the business problem, and to use that data appropriately to inform the business question at hand. These considerations include careful selection and application of experimental protocols, implementation of sensory best practices, proper statistical treatment of data, knowledgeable interpretation, and impactful communication. This workshop explores some of the real-world challenges that arise when attending to such details.
The workshop is organized into three parts:
1) Design, in which an experiment is planned in a manner that addresses the primary business question, but also in a manner that may address secondary or tertiary questions, so as to maximise value from the data.
2) Analysis, in which valid statistical analyses are conducted, and follow-up analyses performed, looking beyond the obvious and helping to gain new insights.
3) Interpretation & communication, in which conclusions and insights that are supported by the data are communicated in a manner that is honest, clear, impactful and understandable.
The workshop will feature presentations from invited workshop presenters who grapple with these challenges as part of their day-to-day work. Additionally, the workshop will feature a panel discussion with opportunities for question and answer and open participation.
The target audience for this workshop is sensory professionals and sensory statisticians at all levels.
