On the part of the university, the agreement was signed by Dr hab. Agnieszka Kurczewska, Associate Professor, the University of Lodz Vice-Rector for External Relations. SoftArchitect was represented by Rafał Sobczak, CEO of the company. The ceremony took place at the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Lodz, whose researchers have established a relationship with SoftArchitect and have already used research prepared by the Warsaw-based company.
SoftArchitect is a pioneer in designing innovative solutions for the research industry. It builds strategic partnerships with stakeholders that are interested in making use of social and market research. Its priority is the digital transformation of the research market – Research 4.0, which fits in with the fourth industrial revolution. SoftArchitect's best-known research solutions are the FlyBlog™ (qualitative research) and OnFly Pro™ (quantitative research) tools. In February this year, the company became a member of the global Insights Association, which is dedicated to, among other things, setting research standards and obtaining high quality data in market research. In April this year, it entered into a partnership with the National Centre for Culture Poland for the development of market research in Poland.
Improving the quality of the collected data and the appropriate design and management of online surveys are among the main assumptions of the digital transformation of the research market Reserach 4.0 . However, maintaining a high level of engagement with panellists and improving the quality of online research requires the constant development of procedures and technological tools to support the entire research process. Our work has long focused on disseminating best practices related to the digitisation of techniques and tools, the design of smart research and the improvement of communication models. I am convinced that the partnership and substantive cooperation with the University of Lodz will be an extremely valuable experience for us
– said Rafał Sobczak, CEO at SoftArchitect.
The Vice-Rector of the University of Lodz – Professor Agnieszka Kurczewska, the Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences – Professor Alina Wróbel and Professor Jolanta Kowalska from the Sport Teachers Training Centre unanimously emphasised the importance of modern tools and methods, including those proposed by SoftArchitect, in the acquisition of research data by students and scientists, without which it is difficult to imagine the development of science today.
This agreement is of substantive, formal as well as organisational significance for scientific and research activities at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Lodz. It fits in with the digital transformation of the research space, is a source of know-how for ongoing research procedures and is ultimately about project partnerships. As a faculty conducting research in the broadly understood socio-cultural reality, including education, we are sensitive to the ethical, formal and legal basis of such activity. I hope that this area of cooperation will also result in the form of, for example, the design and standardisation of research techniques and tools, or the preparation of tools for the implementation of longitudinal studies, allowing the results to be compared in the perspective of national norms, e.g. concerning the level of physical activity of adolescents. Cooperation with SoftArchitect is a new opening for us regarding the quality of science and research carried out at the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the University of Lodz
– Prof. Alina Wróbel, Dean of the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Lodz.
Grzegorz Kowalski, New Business Director at SoftArchitect, pointed out that the development of the market should be focused on searching for new standards for conducting research, which will increase respondents' satisfaction and increase the chances of attracting new panellists – an important link in the research process:
As part of partnership with the University of Lodz, we want to share research findings and conclusions on the motivations and needs of people taking part in market and social research, provide technological and content advice on internet research, online communities, including database technology, or sampling. I hope that our partnership projects will also translate into the promotion of Polish science and technology in the country and worldwide.
SoftArchitect has joined the group of partners of the University of Lodz, such as: Accenture Polska, Nordea, PwC, KGHM, Rossmann and Fujitsu.
Edit: Communication and PR Centre, University of Lodz
Photos: Bartosz Kałużny, Communication and PR Centre, University of Lodz