Recollective recently hosted an engaging session with Alexis Gauthier (Research Manager at Touchstone Research), Danie Hemsley (Director, Qualitative Research at Collage) and Jason Jacobson (Senior Director, Consumer Insights at Sekisui House), alongside Laura Pulito, Vice President of Research at Recollective. Together, they explored what “community” really means, what makes communities successful and how researchers can design unique experiences that truly resonate with participants. If you missed the live event, don’t worry — the recording is available on demand.
To go beyond one-size-fits-all, we decided to switch things up and move past the typical panel format of just questions and answers.
Each of our panelists took part in an online community on Recollective ahead of the session — not as researchers, but as participants. They shared personal experiences and even answered questions in the same way we often ask our own participants to do.
As you move through this recap, you’ll see video clips and visuals woven into the discussion that were pulled directly from that community. It gave the panelists a chance to “walk in the shoes” of participants which led to a richer, more authentic conversation.
What Does Community Mean to You?
The word “community” gets used a lot in the insights industry — but it doesn’t always mean the same thing to everyone. Depending on your background or role, it could evoke very different ideas.
For Alexis, it’s about building long-term trust and being able to check in with participants over time. Jason described it as a window into unfiltered, everyday life — messy kitchens and all. And for Danie, it’s the sense of belonging and nuance that comes when people are given the freedom to show what really matters to them.
Take a moment to pause - what does “community” mean to you?
What Makes a Community Successful?
For many of us, the word “community” can feel tied to time and commitment — and that can sometimes feel daunting or overwhelming. But whether it’s your very first project or you’ve been running communities for years, the question everyone comes back to is: how do we make them more successful?
The answer depends on who you ask. Researchers value the ability to go deeper with flexible follow-ups. Stakeholders look for a “blueprint” of insights that can guide decisions without dictating them. Participants, meanwhile, define success as choice, fun and feeling like they’re part of something meaningful. When those three perspectives align, you have a thriving community.
What “Words of Wisdom” can you share?
But how do you ensure that success?
To reflect on that, we had our panelists take part in a “Words of Wisdom” exercise — sharing what they wish they knew back then to avoid common pitfalls.
Here’s what came through loud and clear:
- Test your own activities — if you wouldn’t enjoy answering, participants won’t either.
- Mix up task types to keep engagement fresh and avoid fatigue.
- Keep instructions light and allow space for spontaneity.
- Engage early and often — even a quick thank you can dramatically improve participation quality.
What’s something fun you had your community do?
As researchers, we all have our own creative ways of engaging participants — so we asked the panel to share examples of activities that were cool, unexpected or just really effective.
From “makeup or breakup” letters to unboxing videos to home tours inspired by crime-scene investigations, the group highlighted creative activities that broke through the usual Q&A format. These approaches not only made research fun but also unlocked deeper, more authentic insights that stakeholders remember.
What features are game-changers?
The conversation also highlighted the platform capabilities that bring these experiences to life. From AI transcription and translation to flexible task types and built-in moderation tools, Recollective enables researchers to create dynamic spaces for engagement.
As Jason noted, the most powerful insights are the ones that make stakeholders laugh or cry — and the right tools help get you there.
Final Thoughts
No two communities look the same- and that’s the point. What matters is that they give brands and agencies an authentic, human-centered way to connect with audiences — whether in long-term communities, short-term projects or hybrid approaches.
Want to Join?
Curious to experience the community for yourself? You can still participate, connect with researchers from around the world and answer the same questions our panelists did.
Don't miss out! Watch the on-demand webinar now for more insights on how you can run your own successful communities using Recollective.
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