Many Market Research organisations were represented too. For those who were not present, key questions were addressed like ‘what are the implications for organisations already registered to BS 7911?’
MQA will be delivering one-day workshops and sessions on preparing for assessment and the differences between BS 7911 and the new ISO 20252, as well as internal auditor training. These will be periodical until BS7911 is obsolete in May 2008, its extended deadline. Meanwhile, specific questions relating to your assessment can be discussed by phone with the MQA Scheme Manager on 01908 231565 or you can arrange to have a gap analysis.

Bill Blyth, Chairman of MRQSA, said:
“The benefits of transparent, unanimously agreed international standards is that they overcome barriers to trade and reassure both internal and external clients that agencies can definitely do basic research.
We have deliberately designed the voluntary standards to work in developing countries where companies may not have computers or telephones. This means it works for everybody in any market and is as simple as it can be.”

Rowland Lloyd of BMRA said:
“The differences between ISO 20252 and the departing UK standard, BS 7911, are numerous.
Some of the differences are:
- Wording
- Differences requiring changes to quality system procedures but probably not working practice
- Differences requiring changes in working practice and quality system procedures
Some of the new requirements are:
- Internal quality audits at pre-determined intervals
- Measuring customer/client satisfaction with an agency’s service
- Translation of questionnaires and related material to be carried out by individuals with ‘mother tongue’ competence in the language
- Explicit identification of potential problems in sampling and responses
All self-completion questionnaires to be pre-tested
- If automatic coding is used, estimation of error rates are required
- Additional information to be included in stand-alone tables and delivered to client
- Methodological details to be passed to client whether they want it or not
- To include reasons why achieved sample fell short of what was intended and comment on reliability of findings.
- Limitations of projecting results to overall population to be stated for qualitative research”

Penny Steele, Chairman of the Interviewer Quality Control Scheme, said:
“In terms of fieldwork, the requirements of the new ISO include all key elements of the BS 7911. However they are less detailed and prescriptive as we wanted to create an international standard that recognized and acknowledged how fieldwork is carried out in all the different countries.
The key fieldwork differences include:
- The date, duration and identity of the interviewer must be recorded
- For qualitative recruitment ALL respondents must be validated, their ID confirmed and documented.
- No specific requirements for supervisor recruitment or training
- Supervisors are regarded as other staff and the more general requirements for training and ensuring competence apply
- The use of written invitations for qualitative respondents or prior checking of new qualitative venues has gone
- Basic training for face-to-face interviewers is now 6 hours not 12 but now the Standards specify 6 hours for qualitative recruiters
- Organisational training must be added on to this 6 hours for all interviewers and recruiters
- Appraisals for field based interviewers who carry out five or more projects/waves per calendar year must be carried out at least once a year, not twice, and it is no longer mandatory that it is face-to-face
Obviously any company can exceed these standards as many currently do and you may choose to keep some or all of the old mandatory requirements in your procedures and system.”

Debrah Harding, MRS policy and communications director, said
“The ISO 20252 does not require adherence to, or cover all topics of the MRS Code of Conduct.
But the Code requirements added to ISO 20252 are:
- Confidentiality of research recordings
- Limitations on use of research recordings
- Publication of research results
- Retention of primary records”

Peter Jackson, administrator for the MRQSA, said
“Up until May 2007 both BS 7911 and ISO 20252 would run concurrently. Agencies have two choices, either make no change or switch assessment to ISO 20252 at the next stage of surveillance.”1
The May 2007 deadline has since been extended to 2008.
MQA aims to make the transition as painless as possible. For more information or to discuss plans and assessment of your organisation contact MQA on 01908 231565 or by email info@mqa-ltd.co.uk