ESOMAR 36

1. What experience does Indiefield have in providing online samples for market research? How long have you been providing this service? Do you also provide similar services for other uses such as direct marketing? If so, what proportion of your work is for market research?

Indiefield has over 20 years' experience in delivering quality online samples. The company is focussed on market research and its founder, Tara Lyons, is a former member of the Market Research Society board. The company's focus is market research.

2. Does Indiefield have staff with responsibility for developing and monitoring the performance of the sampling algorithms and related automated functions who also have knowledge and experience in this area? What sort of training in sampling techniques do you provide to your frontline staff?

Indiefield’s IT and Consumer Directory staff monitor sampling performance. These staff feedback and input into the continuous improvement of our sampling processes, practices and algorithms. We continually review and improve our centralised training manual and process management

3. What other services does Indiefield offer? Do you cover sample-only, or do you offer a broad range of data collection and analysis services?

Indiefield is a fieldwork and recruitment company offering all types of fieldwork and recruitment.

4. Using the broad classifications above, from what sources of online sample do you derive participants?

Indiefield provides unbiased sample, facilitates the search for hard-to-reach sample, and delivers every project with the highest level of quality and customer care. We have our own small panel of 50,000 respondents, but we do not treat this as a static panel: we're able to leverage our abilities to source and field for hyper-niche audiences. Each respondent recruited by Indiefield is verified against a LinkedIn profile as well as several other quality and security checks.

5. Which of these sources are proprietary or exclusive and what is the percent share of each in the total sample provided to a buyer?

Indiefield has a small proprietary panel, which is more of a collection of contact information, we do not store profile information. Respondents are screened on a project by project basis. Where the panel cannot deliver the survey, we will then go into field and use our network of recruiters to find the respondents you need.

6. What recruitment channels are Indiefield using for each of the sources you have described? Is the recruitment process "open to all" or by invitation only? Are you using probabilistic methods? Are you using affiliate networks and referral programs and in what proportions? How does your use of these channels vary by geography?

Indiefield does not use probabilistic methods, and does not actively procure sample from affiliate networks or referral programs. We primarily recruit from our proprietary sourcing and through face to face community based fieldworkers.

7. What form of validation does Indiefield use in recruitment to ensure that participants are real, unique, and are who they say they are?

Indiefield employs a layered approach to ensure that participants are real, unique and are who they say they are. We use proxy detection which tells us whether a proxy server is being used to mask the registrant's true IP address; we use geofencing to make sure that the respondent is based in the UK; we use a double opt-in registration process; we use digital fingerprinting to search for duplicate respondent entries within a single survey. We also use fieldwork management to catch respondent anomalies at any point during the data collection process. Depending on the study we check documents, ask for photographs, telephone and speak to the respondent.

8. What brand (domain) and / or app are Indiefield using with proprietary sources?

We use the Indiefield brand for all external communication with qualified candidates and respondents.

9. Which model(s) do Indiefield offer to deliver sample? Managed service, self-serve, or api integration?

Indiefield does not provide sample only. We offers a managed service model to deliver completed surveys.

10. Does Indiefield let buyers control which sources of sample to include in their projects, and if so how? Do you have any integration mechanisms with third-party sources offered?

Indiefield is a single sample source provider. Client can use our survey links to get more completes from elsewhere if they choose to. We are happy just to provide the data output to them in these cases.

11. Of the sample sources Indiefield has available, how would you describe the suitability of each for different research applications?

Because Indiefield is a single sample source provider and our methodology is reliant on verification checks, our model works for many different survey applications.

12. What steps do Indiefield take to achieve a sample that "looks like" the target population? What demographic quota controls, if any, do you recommend?

The client defines the sample. National representative quotas are set using age, gender and based on Census data. Otherwise, quotas are set as per the client requirement. All respondents are qualified at the point of targeting.

13. What profiling information do Indiefield hold on at least 80% of your panel members plus any intercepts known to you through prior contact? How does this differ by the sources you offer? How often is each of those data points updated? Can you supply these data points as appends to the data set? Do you collect this profiling information directly or is it supplied by a third party?

Indiefield does not hold profiling information. Rather, each respondent in screened on a job by job basis and invited to complete the survey if they qualify.

14. What information do Indiefield need about a project in order to provide an estimate of feasibility? What, if anything, do you do to give upper or lower boundaries around these estimates?

Indiefield provides estimates based on detailed information about the audience needed for a survey, length of survey, device compatibility, and geographical locations. We rely on historical incidence rates and experience from previously projects.

15. What do Indiefield do if the project proves impossible for you to complete in field? Do you inform the sample buyer as to who you would use to complete the project? In such circumstances, how do you maintain and certify third party sources / subcontractors?

While a survey is in field, Indiefield's Project Manager will send regular updates on progress against key metrics until fielding is completed. If the specs of a project come in differently than was anticipated during planning, there are several approaches we take to complete the project. First we will work with the sample buyer to understand if the project's audience can be better defined. Next we will look at termination rates and if certain questions are causing an unnecessary terminations and suggest softening screening criteria. If for whatever reason the initial planning fails, Indiefield will work with the client to deliver a solution and ultimately deliver the project.

16. Do Indiefield employ a survey router or any yield management techniques? If yes, please describe how you go about allocating participants to surveys. How are potential participants asked to participate in a study?

Because Indiefield is a single sample source we don't currently employ a router or yield management techniques.

17. Do Indiefield set limits on the amount of time a participant can be in the router before they qualify for a survey?

Participants are not spending any time in a router.

18. What information about a project is given to potential participants before they choose whether to take the survey or not? How does this differ by the sources you offer?

We tell the respondent what the study is about in a cut down format. We also include the methodology, length of survey / interview and the incentive amount being offered.

19. Do Indiefield allow participants to choose a survey from a selection of available surveys? If so, what are they told about each survey that helps them to make that choice?

We send daily emails telling respondents which surveys are available. Due to the nature of our work many of our survey invitations are face to face events.

20. What ability do Indiefield have to increase (or decrease) incentives being offered to potential participants (or subgroups of participants) during the course of a survey? If so, can this be flagged at the participant level in the dataset?

Indiefield allows clients to increase only the incentives offered to participants at any time throughout the fielding process. This can be flagged at the participant level in the dataset. We would not reduce the incentive offered once a job has been published to respondents.

21. Do Indiefield measure participant satisfaction at the individual project level? If so, can you provide normative data for similar projects (by length, by type, by subject, by target group)?

Indiefield contact all respondents after every study asking for feedback. We prioritise respondent experience and as such actively manages it using metrics such as conversion rates, dropout rates, and quality of responses.

22. Do Indiefield provide a debrief report about a project after it has completed? If yes, can you provide an example?

Indiefield complete an internal report on each and every study on a monthly basis. In addition, the following information is available on all projects fielded by us: completes; interview length; screen-outs, and where they screened out (if we scripted); quota reports; and dropout rate (by question if we scripted).

23. How often can the same individual participate in a survey? How does this vary across your sample sources? What is the mean and maximum amount of time a person may have already been taking surveys before they entered this survey? How do you manage this?

Qualitative fieldwork has its own set of rules and client determined previous participation; for online we do not have a restriction. We are not running many online surveys. It is not something we need to consider at this point.

24. What data do Indiefield maintain on individual participants such as recent participation history, date(s) of entry, source / channel, etc? Are you able to supply buyers with a project analysis of such individual level data? Are you able to append such data points to your participant records?

Indiefield maintains participation history, date of engagement(s), and for B2B LinkedIn profile information and contact information. We are able to supply buyers with high level exports that do not include PII but rather descriptors like when, what, where etc.

25. Please describe the Indiefield procedures for confirmation of participant identity at the project level. Please describe these procedures as they are implemented at the point of entry to a survey or router.

Indiefield uses advanced digital fingerprinting and fraud identification technology that examines potential respondents before they are engaged in a survey, ensuring that the participant is not a bot, known fraudulent person or a duplicate. Our first point of contact for any participant is through our corporate domain.

26. How do Indiefield manage source consistency and blend at the project level? With regard to trackers, how do you ensure that the nature and composition of sample sources remain the same over time? Do you have reports on blends and sources that can be provided to buyers? Can source be appended to the participant data records?

Indiefield is a single sample source.

27. Please describe participant / member quality tracking, along with any health metrics you maintain on members / participants, and how those metrics are used to invite, track, quarantine, and block people from entering the platform, router, or a survey. What processes do you have in place to compare profiled and known data to in-survey responses?

We monitor performance of the panellists over time. This includes overall survey behaviour and how they interact with us. We use this information to assess the respondent.

28. For work where Indiefield program, host, and deliver the survey data, what processes do you have in place to reduce or eliminate undesired in-survey behaviours, such as (a) random responding, (b) illogical or inconsistent responding, (c) overuse of item nonresponse (e.g., "don't know") (d) inaccurate or inconsistent responding, (e) incomplete responding, or (f) too rapid survey completion?

We build logic into surveys to help eliminate undesired in-survey behaviours such as elimination of speeders, red herring trap questions, honey traps for bots, and we monitor behaviours like straight-lining or junk open-end responses.

29. Please provide the link to the Indiefield participant privacy notice (sometimes referred to as a privacy policy).

You can find our Privacy Policy here https://indiefield.co.uk/privacy-notice .

30. How do Indiefield comply with key data protection laws and regulations that apply in the various jurisdictions in which you operate? How do you address requirements regarding consent or other legal bases for the processing personal data? How do you address requirements for data breach response, cross-border transfer, and data retention? Have you appointed a data protection officer?

Indiefield operates under GDPR UK. We rely on the appropriate legal basis by region and maintain a strict GDPR-compliant framework when asking consent for processing of personal data. To the extent applicable, we have appropriate breach response processes. Indiefield's clients are obligated to ensure cross-border transfers and data retention for any personal data collected as part of their projects. Tara Lyons has direct responsibility for maintaining Indiefield's data protection and information security policies and procedures.

31. How can participants provide, manage and revise consent for the processing of their personal data? What support channels do you provide for participants?

Participants can call or email us at any time.

32. How do Indiefield track and comply with other applicable laws and regulations, such as those that might impact the incentives paid to participants?

Indiefield works with client based compliance officers to review regulations which would affect the way we incentivise our panel members and survey participants.

33. What is the Indiefield approach to collecting and processing the personal data of children and young people?

Indiefield does not anyone under the age of 18 to join the panel. Any survey with a child (which we define as anyone under 18) is carried out through the parent, with the parent chaperoning the interview. Indiefield adheres to the standards and guidelines provided by ESOMAR. Indiefield has appropriate contractual obligations in place where required by law. We have developed policies and procedures to ensure information and security obligations are met as applicable.

34. Do Indiefield implement "data protection by design" (sometimes referred to as "privacy by design") in your systems and processes? If so, please describe how.

Data protection and privacy regulation compliance is intrinsic to the way we do business and Indiefield only collects data elements as needed for each client's specific project. We have a documented and organised process in place.

35. What are the key elements of the Indiefield information security compliance program? Please specify the framework(s) or auditing procedure(s) you comply with or certify to. Does your program include an asset-based risk assessment and internal audit process?

Indiefield implements the following security and compliance standards: firewall; active directory authentication; antivirus protection; password authentication; strong password enforcement; automatic blocking after 3 failed log-in attempts; media access (USB, hard-or CD drives) disabled or available on an authorised basis; reassessment and re-accreditation on a regular basis (review and reassess the security of information systems and networks and reaccredit the authorised access for users and make appropriate modifications to access privileges, security policies, standards and procedures); role based access for users and administrators; least privilege—only rights required to do the job; confidentiality—only disclose sensitive data to authorised personnel in line with applicable regulations and laws.

36. Do Indiefield certify to or comply with a quality framework such as iso 20252?

Yes, Indiefield are ISO 20252 and ISO 9001 certified.