Research for the non-researcher: How anyone can get to the ‘so what’ faster

Market research has never been more accessible. Tools are faster. Samples are easier to reach. Surveys can be launched in hours, not weeks.

And yet, for many people, research still feels intimidating, not because of how to run it, but because of what comes after.

You get your results back. You have charts, tables, percentages, and verbatims. Now comes the hard part:

What does this actually mean?

The leap from results to insights to impact is where many research novices get stuck. It’s also where good research often goes to die.

The reality is simple: collecting data is only half the job. Turning that data into a clear, compelling story that drives action is where research earns its value.

This is exactly the gap Stories are designed to close.

The biggest challenge for non-researchers isn’t data. It’s interpretation

When people say they’re “not a researcher,” they rarely mean they can’t write a survey or field a study. What they usually mean is:

• I don’t know how to interpret what I’m looking at.
• I’m not confident deciding what matters and what doesn’t.
• I don’t know how to explain this to stakeholders in a way that lands.

Raw results don’t naturally tell a story. They present options, dozens of potential takeaways, and ask the researcher to decide which ones matter most.

Experienced researchers develop this skill over time. They learn how to:

• Separate signal from noise
• Identify meaningful patterns across questions
• Connect results back to business context
• Frame insights around decisions, not data points

For non-researchers, this expectation can feel overwhelming. And without support, many default to one of two extremes:

1. Over-reporting: sharing every chart and number “just in case,” which overwhelms stakeholders
2. Under-interpreting: sharing surface-level findings without implications, leaving others to draw conclusions

Neither approach leads to impact.

Why telling a story with data is so hard

Storytelling is often treated like a soft skill. In reality, it’s one of the most technically demanding parts of research.

To tell a strong data story, you have to:

• Decide what the narrative arc is
• Determine which findings support that narrative
• Translate analysis into plain language
• Balance accuracy with clarity
• Tailor the story to different audiences

That last point is especially challenging.

Executives want the headline and the implication.
Product teams want the “why” behind the behavior.
Marketing teams want angles they can activate.

Suddenly, one study turns into multiple deliverables: decks, summaries, slides, screenshots, emails, where each slightly reworked for a different stakeholder.

For people whose job isn’t research, this becomes a huge tax on time and confidence.

And too often, it results in great insights living in a deck that no one revisits.

The cost of getting stuck between results and impact

When research doesn’t make it to the “so what,” the cost is real:

• Decisions get made based on assumptions instead of evidence
• Research teams struggle to prove ROI
• Insights fail to influence strategy
• Stakeholders disengage from future research

Over time, this creates a vicious cycle. People stop investing in research because they don’t see outcomes, even when the underlying data is strong.

The problem isn’t the research itself. It’s the translation.

Stories are built to help anyone get to the ‘so what’ faster

Stories are Suzy’s latest offering, designed to transform research into powerful storytelling assets that drive real impact. Instead of leaving teams to sift through raw data and build narratives from scratch, Stories flip the process – automatically turning completed research into clear, actionable insights.

Powered by Suzy’s proprietary AI analysis technology – developed by researchers for researchers – Stories surface the most meaningful insights without manual effort.

That means:

• Patterns are identified across questions
• Key themes are elevated
• Insights are framed in clear, human language
• Findings are organized into a cohesive narrative

For research novices, this is a game changer.

Rather than staring at a wall of charts and wondering where to begin, Stories provide a structured interpretation layer that answers the questions people actually ask:

• What stood out?
• Why does it matter?
• What should we do next?

From analysis to narrative without needing to be an expert

One of the hardest parts of research is knowing what not to say.

Stories help by doing the initial synthesis work for you. The part that usually requires years of experience. Instead of forcing non-researchers to become analysts overnight, Stories give them a strong starting point:

• Clear takeaways
• Supporting context
• Logical flow from insight to implication

This doesn’t replace human judgment. It augments it.

Users can pressure-test insights, add context, and layer in institutional knowledge, but they’re no longer starting from zero.

The result is faster confidence and better conversations.

Designed for how insights actually get shared

Another major barrier for non-researchers is deliverables.

Even when someone does uncover strong insights, turning them into polished, stakeholder-ready assets is time-consuming and often outside their skill set.

Stories solve this by producing presentation-ready outputs that meet teams where they already work.

Stories include:

• Single-page infographics for quickly sharing top-level insights with executives
• Robust insights summary decks for deeper storytelling with cross-functional teams

Both are designed to be easily circulated, easily understood, and easy to act on.

Instead of spending hours formatting slides or rewriting summaries, teams can focus on what matters most: discussion, alignment, and decision-making.

Tailored storytelling without the rework

One of the most underestimated challenges in research is tailoring insights to different stakeholders.

Stories help alleviate this burden by:

• Structuring insights in a way that’s modular and flexible
• Presenting clear headlines that can stand alone
• Providing depth when needed without overwhelming

This makes it easier for non-researchers to reuse and repurpose insights without diluting their meaning.

The same core story can travel further across the organization without being rewritten five different ways.

Helping insights teams tie work to outcomes

Stories aren’t just for novices. They also help experienced insights teams solve a persistent problem: proving impact.

By clearly connecting findings to implications, Stories make it easier to show how research informs decisions.

Instead of saying “here’s what we found,” teams can say:

• “Here’s what this means for our strategy.”
• “Here’s where we should act.”
• “Here’s the risk of doing nothing.”

That shift from reporting to recommending is what elevates research from informative to influential.

Research that actually gets remembered

At the end of the day, the goal of research isn’t accuracy alone. It’s influence.

Insights only matter if they:

• Are understood
• Are remembered
• Are used

Stories are designed with this reality in mind. They transform research into narratives people can grasp quickly, share easily, and return to when decisions are being made.

For non-researchers, that means less intimidation and more empowerment.

For organizations, it means research that finally lives beyond the deck.

Getting to the ‘so what’ shouldn’t be a barrier

Market research shouldn’t be reserved for specialists with years of training. In a world where insights are needed faster than ever, more people need access to both data and meaning. 

Stories help close the gap between results and impact. They give non-researchers a way to extract accurate insights, tell a clear story, and drive action without having to become experts overnight.

Because the real value of research isn’t in the charts. It’s in the story those charts tell and what happens next.

Learn more about how Stories can take your business to the next level.