Through the SIVO, Inc. "Modern Ways of Working" Mini Chat series, we spoke with a strategic consumer insights leader, Anna Estlund, Senior Director of Insights and Strategy at Pernod Ricard.

In this conversation with Natasha Weith, Anna discusses how she is working to the ways her team works to drive impact and efficiency.  Examples include building more flexibility into her teams roles, spending more time focused on the front and end stages of projects and hiring on demand talent to extend the bandwidth of her team. All of these things allow Anna and her team to maximize their value and relevance to the organization.  Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhrIyqHooiM

Special thanks to Anna for generously sharing her experience and knowledge with our peers across the Insights industry!

By Julie Rose

"If you wish to influence an individual or a group… tell them a compelling story"  

– Annette Simmons 

Market Researchers cannot just be number-crunching analysts; they must be storytelling experts. We all must master the art of translating raw data into compelling narratives that instill confidence in company leaders, inform decisions, drive strategies, and shape the future. Yet, transforming vast amounts of data into illuminating narratives is time-consuming, complex, and unwieldy.  

Artificial Intelligence or AI-powered tools offer immense potential to revolutionize the storytelling process, making it faster, more precise, and more impactful. However, while AI is an exceptional co-pilot, the human touch is the navigator. At SIVO, we combine cutting-edge AI with the nuanced understanding and creativity of human researchers to craft stories that resonate deeply and drive real impact.

The Power of Storytelling  

Every great story follows a familiar arc. Whether it’s Toy Story, a pitch on Shark Tank, or your next big presentation to the Leadership Team, the best narratives unfold through exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. These elements build anticipation, deepen engagement, and ultimately, deliver a satisfying conclusion.  

In business, these arcs guide decision-makers from uncertainty to clarity. The most powerful, action-inducing stories lead audiences from the business context to compelling insights to clear recommendations. Yet, creating a cohesive and captivating story often requires more than just technical precision—it demands emotional intelligence, contextual awareness, and strategic thinking. This is where the human element plays a vital role. 

When paired with AI’s capabilities, insights professionals can more quickly create stories that are deeply meaningful and impactful. It’s important to note that SIVO always prioritizes data privacy by using secure, closed AI systems. This ensures we harness AI’s power while safeguarding our clients' sensitive information. 

AI + Human Expertise at Every Stage of the Storytelling Process

Phase 1: Conducting Initial (or Supplemental) Research for a Topic 
AI is an excellent tool for quickly gathering relevant data on a specific topic, whether you’re preparing for a project or looking to supplement your research. 

AI co-pilot quickly gathers relevant data, scans vast sources, and identifies new insights or gaps. Example prompt: “Identify top consumer behavior trends influencing [topic] in 2024.” 

Human navigator brings context and intuition to guide AI queries, ensuring the focus aligns with the client’s unique challenges and goals. Researchers combine trends with firsthand knowledge of industry dynamics to refine the research direction. 

Phase 2: Summarizing & Simplifying the Long & Complex
Synthesizing data into a digestible format can be daunting. AI excels at summarizing lengthy reports or simplifying complex findings.  

AI co-pilot synthesizes data into digestible formats, tailoring content for different audiences. Example prompt: “Condense this 50-page report into a 1-page executive summary.” 

Human navigator applies judgment to ensure the summaries reflect nuance, tone, and the specific needs of stakeholders. Researchers review the summary to enhance clarity, add context, and emphasize key strategic points. 

Phase 3: (Re)Analyzing Raw Data to Identify Incremental Insights
AI can offer valuable guidance in outlining the structure of a story. 

AI co-pilot processes large datasets, uncovering hidden correlations and trends. Example prompt: “Analyze this survey data and identify the top three themes for [a specific audience segment].” 

Human navigator interprets findings through the lens of cultural and business factors, translating raw data into actionable insights. Insights professionals validates themes against observed behaviors and industry expertise. 

Phase 4: Providing Story Structure and Design Guidance
Even experienced storytellers face moments of writer’s block or struggle to find the right story flow.  

AI co-pilot outlines story structures, identifies key takeaways, and suggests visuals. Example prompt: “Create a story outline for this research report with key takeaways and best supporting data.” 

Human navigator refines the narrative flow, ensuring the narrative concisely covers the business teams’ priorities. Insights professionals enhance the outline with compelling metaphors, anecdotes, and watching for thematic cohesion.

Phase 5: Generating Story Content
Transitioning from analysis to storytelling can be a daunting process for some, to ensure the right information is included to support in the research and business objectives. 

AI co-pilot drafts initial versions, refines the narrative, and speeds up iterations. Example prompt: “Draft a report summarizing the key insights aligned to the learning objectives.” 

Human navigator injects tone, cultural relevance and business relevance into the content, making it truly focused on the business context, key questions and objectives. Insights professionals edit the draft to ensure the voice aligns with the brand and the audience’s expectations. 

Phase 6: Preparing for “Presentation Day”
Storytelling doesn’t end with the final report—it extends into how insights are presented to stakeholders.  

AI co-pilot anticipates audience questions, highlights potential gaps, and suggests alternative views. Example prompt: “Anticipate five critical questions a CMO might ask after reviewing this report.”  

Human navigator uses empathy and presentation skills to adapt delivery, read the room, and build a connection with the audience. Insights professionals prepare nuanced responses that tie insights back to overarching business goals. 

SIVO: Insights, Stories & Impact That Matter 

At SIVO, we continue to explore AI’s potential to help our clients unearth and articulate insights that propel businesses forward. With AI, we’re enhancing our storytelling capabilities, turning data into insights faster, more accurately, and with greater depth (alongside a brilliant team of creative humans) to create stories that illuminate opportunity and inspire meaningful action. 

If you’re ready to tell data-backed, insight-rich stories that spring your business forward, contact us at Contact@SIVOInsights.com or visit SIVOInsights.com today to schedule a discovery call. 

If you're part of a consumer insights team, you already know what this time of year looks like. The upcoming start of annual planning season brings high expectations, overlapping requests, and limited capacity. You’re pulling together top trends, completing industry reviews, immersing stakeholders, and expected to deliver fast, sharp guidance that informs decisions across the business. There’s no shortage of urgency. But there is often a shortage of time, hands, and headspace.

In this post, we’ll focus on how teams like yours are preparing for the planning season pressure with smart, flexible insights support. From tips for handling the volume to examples of how fractional talent can plug in fast, this is a practical guide to getting through planning season without compromising on quality. 

The Planning Season Challenge: from an Insights Perspective

Planning season can be a moment of high visibility for insights teams. It’s when your work directly shapes decisions on budgets, brand priorities, innovation pipelines, and go-to-market plans. Expectations are high, and so is the payoff if done well.  

This is also when the work becomes less linear, as you’re often not managing one big project, but you’re responding to competing needs from multiple teams, often simultaneously. You’re asked to shift from high-level trends to granular customer behavior, to turn data into strategy, and to do it all faster than ever. Internally, you may be running up against resource constraints, limited capacity for synthesis, or pressure to answer questions that haven’t been fully scoped. Stakeholders want insights, leaders want speed, and everyone wants you to predict the future so they can plan better for it.

This is the reality many insights leaders are preparing to navigate right now: how to maintain rigor under pressure, how to prioritize when everything is urgent, and how to protect the quality of insight that drives real decisions. 

Tips for Managing Insight Deliverables During Planning Crunch

With overlapping asks and limited time, prioritization becomes a strategic skill. It’s not just about getting things done, but making sure the most valuable work gets done well. Below are a few practical ways we’ve seen insight teams stay focused and deliver effectively under pressure. 

Start with internal alignment 
Before saying yes to every request, align with key stakeholders on what’s truly critical to planning outcomes. What decisions need to be made in the next few weeks? What’s nice to have versus required? This helps filter the noise and focus resources where they matter most. If you’re a seasoned insights pro, this step probably comes naturally to you. 

Map deliverables to decisions 
For every request, clarify what decision it’s intended to inform. This helps the team determine how deep to go, what methods are appropriate, and whether existing insights already cover it. 

Synthesize what’s already known 
Planning often sparks redundant questions. A quick synthesis of past work, organized by theme, audience, or priority, can help prevent unnecessary rework and provide fast traction. Even a short “What We Know” session can help reset expectations and surface gaps more clearly. 

Be transparent about trade-offs 
Not everything can be done at the same depth, and it’s best to communicate that clearly. Stakeholders usually respond well when you explain what’s possible, what’s at risk, and where additional support would make a difference. This creates space for smarter resourcing decisions, and helps prevent extra stress and burnout among your team.  

Build in a checkpoint before things scale 
Use a mid-cycle checkpoint to review whether what’s being delivered is actually moving planning forward. If not, it’s better to adjust early than stretch your team to deliver work that won’t be used. 

How to Expand Your Insight Team’s Capacity Without Compromising Quality

When insight teams hit capacity during planning season, the instinct is often to either say no, or simply push through. But overloading the team rarely leads to strategic work. It leads to shortcuts, slower turnarounds, and deliverables that lack the synthesis stakeholders expect – putting the strategic plans at risks.  

Many teams are addressing this challenge by bringing in short-term support. But success depends on who you bring in and how they work. Traditional freelancers or overflow support often require onboarding, guidance, or extra training time. That adds to your workload instead of reducing it, and that’s not what you need when you’re already stretched thin.  

What works better is adding insight professionals who understand planning cycles, know how to manage complexity, and can operate as part of your internal team. When done right, this model gives teams the room to focus on what matters most. It protects insight quality while meeting the volume and speed planning requires, and it also reduces pressure on the team, making it possible to stay sharp across multiple workstreams. 

Bringing in Fractional Insight Experts for Planning Season

At SIVO, we work with companies across industries to extend insights teams during planning season. Our On Demand Talent includes seasoned researchers, strategic thinkers, moderators, planners, and communicators who can step into the specific functions you need. Whether that’s help managing an overflow of qual studies, needing someone to run stakeholder synthesis, or build strategic narratives that tie research to business planning – fractional insight experts are here to help.  

You don’t need to compromise quality to meet a deadline, and you don’t need to burn out your team to deliver on planning season demands. Whether you need a sharp moderator for next week’s workstream, a strategic partner to help frame consumer implications, or someone to translate findings into clear planning outputs, we can match the right talent to your exact need.  

Need Extra Capacity on Your Insights Team for Planning Season, Fast?
Let’s find your perfect match!

Contact Us

By Cindy Blackstock

We’ve all hired someone to complete a task or a job for us.  For example, if your lawn needs to be mowed – you can hire someone to mow it. Seems simple, doesn’t it? But have you ever asked that question about the products or services you work with?  Do you know what “job” your customers need done, that is causing them to “hire” your product or service?

Customer needs are often less clear than ‘your lawn needs to be mowed.’ Identifying customer needs or “jobs to be done” is an intentional exercise where we must listen, observe and expertly question customers to uncover.

Jobs Theory

Jobs Theory reframes our relationship with customers, making them the center of our focus. While conventional marketing tends to focus on brand and product benefits, Jobs Theory doesn't look internally at products and services but instead, looks externally, to expose the functional, social, and emotional jobs that explain why customers make the choices they do.

People don’t simply buy products or services; they bring them into their lives to fulfill a need. We call this need the ‘job’ they are trying to get done. When we discover why customers want to ‘hire’ products or services, we develop a customer-centric view, allowing brand teams to become empathetic to their customers' needs and wants. 

Trending for SIVO: What Does a Remote Workforce Really Want? You Need to Dig Deeper to Find Out

Identifying Customer Needs with a “Jobs to be Done Map”

A good Jobs to be Done Map becomes a framework that helps marketers figure out how to improve their products or innovate by developing new products and services in their industry or category, i.e., ‘where to play.’ It can be leveraged beyond a single initiative. It maps all the jobs that customers have for a particular occasion.  For example, a Snacking JTBD Map includes all the jobs that customers have for the snacking occasion.  A Financial Investment JTBD Map, includes all the jobs that customers have for investing their money.  It lives on in your organization as a place to continually go back to for inspiration and focus. It provides:

Inspiration and guardrails for brand positioning, marketing messages, product innovation and renovation 

A framework for capturing, defining, categorizing, and prioritizing customer needs

A common language and focus for the cross-functional team

Factors That Influence Customer Behavior

There are several factors that influence customer behavior, including:

1. Customer Needs and Goals - Customers use products that help them achieve their goals and meet their needs. If your product does not effectively address these needs and goals, customers are unlikely to hire it.

2. Product Features and Benefits - The features and benefits of your product can also influence customer buying behavior. Customers are more likely to buy products that offer the features and benefits that they are looking for.

3. Brand Reputation - The reputation of your brand can also influence customer behavior. Customers are more likely to buy products from brands that they trust and that have a positive reputation.

4. Customer Experience - Customer experience can also impact purchasing behavior. Customers are more likely to purchase products that offer a positive and seamless experience, from purchase to use.

5. Competitor Offerings - Competitor offerings can also influence customer buying behavior. If your competitors offer products that better meet customer needs and preferences, customers may choose to “hire” those products instead of yours.

Partner with SIVO to Identify Customer Needs for Your Business

At SIVO, we help our clients uncover their customers’ jobs for a wide range of application opportunities. We design customized research that leads to a fully developed Jobs to be Done Map. Our approach focuses on uncovering the subconscious drivers of customer decision-making by understanding the underlying needs and true motivations.

In Part 2 of our Jobs series, we will share the keys to success for Jobs to be Done mapping along with some examples of how it comes to life. Until then, please reach out to discuss how we can help you to get your brand, product, or service hired. 

Reach out to the SIVO team at Contact@SIVOInsights.com to discuss how we can develop a Jobs to be Done Map for your organization.