The economics of consumer research have changed
Traditional research is slow, expensive, and difficult to reproduce. Synthetic panels are fast, affordable, and deterministic. Here is exactly where each approach works best.
Metric by metric comparison
| Metric | Traditional Research | Panel Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per study | £30,000 to £80,000 | Under £100 |
| Time to results | 4 to 8 weeks | 20 minutes |
| Panel size | 8 to 12 (focus group) | 100 to 1,000+ |
| Countries | 1 per study | 20 simultaneously |
| Follow up questions | New study required | Same session, instant |
| Causal explanation | Not available | Full reasoning trace per persona |
| Reproducibility | Low (different participants) | Exact (same personas) |
| A/B testing | Expensive, separate groups | Built in, same panel |
| Personality segmentation | Not available | Native (DYNAMICS-8) |
| Longitudinal tracking | Very expensive | Scheduled, automated |
The right tool for the right job
Synthetic panels are not a replacement for all research. They are a replacement for most of it. Here is when each approach is the correct choice.
When to use traditional research
- When you need verbatim quotes from real people for regulatory submission
- When your product requires physical interaction: taste, smell, texture
- When your market is too niche for census weighted sampling
- When you need to observe body language and group dynamics in person
When to use Panel Studio
- When you need results in hours, not weeks
- When you need to test across multiple countries simultaneously
- When you need to understand why, not just what
- When you need reproducible experiments that stakeholders can verify
- When budget matters and £100 beats £50,000
A note on honesty. We are not claiming synthetic personas are real people. They are statistically grounded simulations built on census data and validated personality science. Their value is in speed, cost, reproducibility, and causal depth. For many research questions, that is more than enough. For some, it is not. Know the difference.
Try both
Run a Panel Studio study alongside your next focus group. Compare the results. Decide for yourself.