Using Alida or other DIY market research platforms can feel empowering – you launch a survey quickly, get results fast, and feel in control of the process. But sustainability as a topic isn't just about speed or efficiency. It’s about depth. When researching consumer attitudes toward sustainability, many teams set themselves up for shallow insights simply because they’re relying on surface-level survey data, without the structure or expertise to interpret it properly.

Common issues when researching sustainability in Alida

• Abstract questions: Asking consumers what they “think” about sustainability often results in vague, socially desirable answers that don’t reflect real attitudes or behavior.
• No room for nuance: Scaled response questions may miss emotional tension or layered motivations behind what drives a sustainable choice – or what prevents one.
• Limited segmentation: DIY tools can make it hard to explore cultural, generational, or regional differences in sustainability perceptions without the proper filters in place.
• Bias blind spots: Without expert input, teams may design surveys with framing bias or misunderstanding of how consumers interpret sustainability language.

For example, a brand may ask, “How important is sustainability when purchasing a product?” But the concept of "sustainability" means different things to different people. Some associate it with recycling, others with ethical labor, others with local production. In Alida, where you’re creating and fielding the instrument yourself, missing this context can skew your analysis from the start.

How to solve this challenge:

1. Bring in expert review before launching. By adding an On Demand Talent professional to your project, you gain a second set of experienced eyes that can spot red flags in your survey design, suggest ways to probe deeper into motivations, or recommend better segmentation tactics specific to sustainability insights.

2. Define sustainability clearly and consistently. Clear definitions within your survey help respondents better relate to your questions and help your team analyze feedback more accurately across audiences.

3. Add open-ended questions with purpose. While DIY users sometimes avoid open-ended responses due to complexity, these can be goldmines of emotional language. An expert can help you analyze them more effectively – or even step in directly to provide culturally informed interpretation.

DIY market research tools like Alida have huge potential – but they work best when paired with trained insight professionals who ensure research stays grounded, unbiased, and aligned with business objectives.

One of the biggest reasons sustainability insights fall short in DIY research is that many studies ignore or oversimplify the concept of value tensions – those internal tradeoffs consumers make when deciding between “doing the right thing” and doing what’s faster, cheaper, or easier.

For example, a shopper might firmly believe in reducing plastic waste but still buy individually wrapped snacks if they’re more convenient. These contradictions don’t mean the person is dishonest – they reveal the real-world complexity of consumer behavior. This is the kind of insight that’s easy to miss if you rely solely on structured surveys without interpretation.

3 Crucial Value Tensions in Sustainability Research

• Ethics vs. Affordability: Consumers may care deeply about the environment, but still prioritize cost in tight economic times. This tension can vary widely by segment or life stage.
• Convenience vs. Consciousness: Reusable options or ethical brands often require more effort (travel, prep, planning), which can limit follow-through for even the most well-intentioned consumers.
• Brand Trust vs. Claims: Some shoppers want to support sustainable brands but are skeptical about greenwashing or vague claims.

When you use a DIY market research platform like Alida, it’s easy to ask what people value. But spotting when a value tension is at play – and what that means for action – requires deeper interpretation.

How to analyze value tensions in survey data

Many insights teams don’t realize they’ve captured value tensions until they start looking at seemingly contradictory data. For instance, your Alida research might show 80% of respondents rate sustainability as “important,” but your concept test results show only 30% willing to pay more for a greener option. Without expert help connecting the dots, this may look like confusion or error – when in fact, it reflects a deeper truth.

That’s where On Demand Talent can provide clarity. These professionals are experienced at digging into emotional drivers, spotting red flags in early survey outputs, and identifying patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. They help translate raw data into actionable insights – not just numbers, but meaning.

A relatable example (fictional): A food and beverage brand recently launched a quick-turn Alida survey to test eco-packaging sentiments. Results looked promising: high reported concern about waste. But an On Demand expert identified a recurring theme in open-ends tied to portion sizes and freshness. Despite best intentions, consumers didn’t want to lose individually-wrapped formats because they relied on them to prevent food spoilage – a clear tension between sustainability and convenience.

This kind of nuanced observation could be overlooked in DIY-only research. By working with an experienced insights professional, the company re-tested with adjusted messaging and found a concept that better accounted for both sustainability and usability – achieving stronger consumer relevance.

Ultimately, understanding value tensions is key to improving sustainability research accuracy in Alida and other tools. With support from On Demand Talent, teams can dig below surface opinions and unlock the authentic consumer insights they need to move forward – confidently and credibly.

Using DIY market research tools like Alida can be highly effective for quick turnarounds and budget-conscious teams. But when it comes to nuanced topics like sustainability – especially those involving deep-rooted consumer value tensions such as ethics vs. price – inexperienced use of platforms can lead to shallow or misleading insights. Let’s look at some common DIY challenges teams face in Alida research and explore how to solve them.

1. Surface-Level Questions Miss Emotional Depth

Many Alida users rely on standard question templates or build simple surveys that prioritize ease over strategy. For sustainability insights, this leads to generic responses that don’t reveal why consumers make tradeoffs – like choosing convenience over responsible sourcing.

Solution: Design questions that explore behaviors and motivations, not just opinions. Instead of only asking “How important is sustainability when choosing a product?”, add questions like “Tell us about a time you chose the less sustainable option. What influenced your decision?”

2. Difficulty Identifying Value Tensions

Value tensions – such as budget constraints vs. eco-conscious values – are often buried in open-end responses. For newer Alida users, these insights are easy to overlook without skilled interpretation.

Solution: During analysis, look beyond individual statements. Cluster responses by themes and contradictions. Text analytics can help, but human review is key for spotting emotional or conflicting language that signal tension (e.g., “I want to go green, but it’s just too expensive right now.”)

3. Overreliance on Closed-Ended Results

Alida’s dashboards encourage lean, quantitative data views, which are valuable – but they can hide the nuances of consumer beliefs around sustainability. For example, a high agreement score for “sustainability is important” sounds definitive, but might contradict actual behavior.

Solution: Balance quantitative data with thoughtful qualitative analysis. Cross-reference survey scores with verbatims to identify gaps between what consumers say and what they truly mean.

4. Lack of Research Quality Control

Without trained experts overseeing survey design and data interpretation, it’s easy to make unintentional errors that compromise insights quality – such as leading questions or misinterpretation of AI-generated themes.

Solution: Build in peer review steps for surveys, especially when dealing with complex topics like sustainability. Use internal QA checklists or consult external support when needed.

5. Time Constraints Undermine Strategy

While speed is one of Alida’s key advantages, fast doesn’t always mean focused. Rushed surveys often skip hypothesis-building or audience clarity, resulting in broad feedback that’s hard to act on.

Solution: Even in a DIY setup, take time to clarify goals, segment respondents thoughtfully, and pre-test your survey flow and logic.

With a structured approach and intentional design, many of these Alida DIY issues can be reduced – but when the insights stakes are high, it may be time to bring in outside help.

Not every research project needs a full-scale agency solution – but certain challenges do call for expert-level input. If your internal team is struggling to interpret complex feedback, spot contradictions in your data, or simply keep pace with project demands, SIVO’s On Demand Talent could be the missing piece.

How Experts Fill the Gaps in DIY Research

On Demand Talent are not freelancers or general consultants. They are seasoned consumer insights professionals who understand how to work within platforms like Alida while applying high-level research thinking. They quickly step in where your team needs the most support – from survey design to storytelling – without lengthy ramp-ups.

Here’s where they can add real value:

• Makes Sense of Complexity: Experts skilled in analyzing value tensions can decode conflicting responses around sustainability (e.g., “I buy eco-products, but not if they take longer to ship”).
• Elevates Your Current Research: Rather than starting from scratch, On Demand Talent can refine in-progress surveys, optimize targeting, or improve the emotional depth of your questions.
• Bounces Between Roles: Whether you need a strategic thinker, data interpreter, or storyteller to present findings to leadership, these professionals plug in where needed – flexibly and efficiently.
• Improves Internal Capability: While supporting in the short term, they also train your team to better use tools like Alida over time – building sustainable capability instead of dependency.

Fictional Example for Context

Let’s say a mid-size food brand wanted to uncover how sustainability affects product brand loyalty. After running an Alida survey internally, they found most consumers ‘cared deeply about sustainability’ – but sales of eco-friendly lines were flat. An On Demand Talent professional helped them re-frame the results by clustering responses around cost, familiarity, and trust. It turned out many customers wanted to buy green – but weren't confident in the new line’s performance. That insight led to clearer messaging and an improved product trial strategy.

Whether you’re short-handed or simply need a second set of trained eyes, On Demand Talent offers the speed of DIY with the precision of full-service research – no ongoing commitment required.

Once you’ve mastered the basics of Alida or other DIY market research tools, the next step is making sure your research is not just efficient – but also deep, reliable, and actionable. When it comes to sustainability insights, that means going beyond surface-level agreement statements and tapping into the core motivations behind consumer choices.

Start with Specific, Behavior-Centered Hypotheses

Before building your Alida survey, define what you want to learn within context. For example, instead of exploring broad interest in eco-friendly products, ask: “What causes shoppers to choose non-recyclable packaging at checkout?” These focused objectives lead to better data structure and more relevant respondent targeting.

Use Mixed Question Formats

Don’t rely only on scales. Use a mix of open-ends, ranking tasks, and choice-based questions to uncover contradictions and push respondents to make tradeoffs in real time. Value tension becomes more visible when people are forced to choose between good options.

Probe for the “Why” – Then Ask Again

In sustainability research, consumer responses often hide rationalizations. For example, “I avoid fast fashion” may sound clear – but what does that mean in practice? A follow-up like “What exceptions do you make, if any?” surfaces critical insights around gap between values and behavior.

Validate with Qualitative Checks

Even if you’re working inside a quantitative tool like Alida, schedule opportunities to speak one-on-one with participants or run a quick follow-up group. Hearing consumers explain their survey responses adds emotional tone and helpful context that dashboards can’t capture.

Plan for Iteration – Not Just One-and-Done

Instead of asking everything in one survey, build ongoing learning loops. Ask one focused question set now, then revisit emerging themes later. This is especially useful when researching evolving topics like sustainability, where consumer priorities shift over time.

Ultimately, Alida becomes much more powerful when used in combination with strategic thinking, strong design, and human interpretation – all qualities that tools don’t offer on their own. Whether working solo or supported by experts, intentionality is what turns a consumer survey into an insight-rich story.