Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in publishing. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping publishing
Book, education and magazine publishers serve readers, teachers, schools and retailers, with print and digital formats side by side.
- Teachers and schools drive educational publishing
- Digital reading is growing alongside print
- Retail visibility affects sales
Client background
An educational publisher, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- An educational publisher
- Sector
- Publishing
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Quantitative research, Qualitative research
Client challenge
The publisher was revising a textbook series and wanted teacher input.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: teacher feedback on new textbooks.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of teachers.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 6 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 800 teachers.
- teachers800
Audiences we typically reach in publishing
ReadersTeachers and schoolsBooksellersAuthorsDigital readers
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Teacher survey
- 3Classroom interviews
- 4Insight
We surveyed teachers and interviewed some about content, activities and digital resources.
Quantitative researchQualitative research
Sampling strategy
- teachers
- 800
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- Teachers wanted more classroom activities and digital worksheets.
Teachers are the real users of textbooks.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: teachers are the real users of textbooks.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: teachers wanted more classroom activities and digital worksheets.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The revision added both.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interview summaries and key verbatims
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: how do teachers choose textbooks?