CDR undertakes a limited number of organizational diagnostic and applied research engagements each year. The questions below provide an overview of how projects are selected, designed, conducted, and protected.
What types of projects does CDR undertake?
CDR’s principal services are the Business Diagnostic Instrument, the Association Efficacy Assessment, and selected Custom Research projects. Engagements generally involve organizational diagnostics, membership research, program or service evaluation, stakeholder research, and complex qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method studies.
What types of organizations does CDR work with?
CDR primarily works with established Canadian organizations that need independent evidence to support an important organizational decision. Clients may include public-sector organizations, professional and member-based associations, larger private organizations, and organizations operating in specialized or complex environments.
How do we know which service is right for us?
The Business Diagnostic Instrument is intended for organizations seeking a broad assessment of organizational health and performance. The Association Efficacy Assessment is designed for member-based organizations seeking evidence about member value, engagement, priorities, and direction. Custom Research is appropriate when the question is specific, complex, or requires a purpose-built research design. An initial discussion can help determine the most suitable approach.
Does CDR accept every project?
No. CDR deliberately undertakes only a small number of engagements each year. Projects are selected based on the significance of the research question, methodological fit, timing, organizational readiness, and CDR’s available capacity.
How are projects scoped and priced?
Each engagement is scoped according to the research question, methods required, participant population, analytical complexity, reporting needs, and project schedule. Following an initial discussion, CDR provides a written description of the proposed approach, deliverables, timing, and fees before work begins.
Who leads the research?
Every engagement is led directly by CDR’s Director of Research. This includes the initial research question, study design, instrument development, analysis, interpretation, and final reporting. Additional research support may be used where appropriate, but senior oversight remains direct throughout the project.
Can projects be completed remotely?
Yes. CDR is designed as a location-independent research practice and works remotely with clients across Canada. Surveys, interviews, document review, data analysis, meetings, presentations, and most other project activities can be completed securely online.
How long does a project take?
Timelines depend on the scope of the research, the methods required, the size and accessibility of the participant population, and the organization’s internal approval processes. A realistic schedule is established during project scoping rather than applying a standard timeline to every engagement.
What research methods does CDR use?
CDR uses quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches depending on the research question. Methods may include surveys, interviews, focus groups, document review, administrative-data analysis, statistical modelling, benchmarking, thematic analysis, and the integration of evidence from multiple sources.
How does CDR protect confidentiality?
Confidentiality requirements are established at the beginning of each engagement and incorporated into the research design. Access to project information is restricted, findings are reported at an appropriate level of aggregation, and potentially identifying information is handled carefully throughout data collection, analysis, reporting, retention, and destruction.
CDR operates within the Canadian privacy framework and is subject to applicable federal and British Columbia privacy legislation, depending on the nature and jurisdiction of the engagement.
British Columbia legislation: The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) establishes requirements for how private-sector organizations in British Columbia collect, use, disclose, protect, retain, and provide access to personal information. PIPA applies broadly to private-sector organizations operating in British Columbia.
Federal legislation: The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) establishes requirements for organizations subject to federal private-sector privacy law when collecting, using, or disclosing personal information in the course of commercial activities.
Is research data kept in Canada?
CDR can design projects to meet Canadian data-storage, privacy, and security requirements. Specific arrangements for storage location, access, transmission, retention, and secure destruction are confirmed during project scoping so they reflect the client’s legal, policy, contractual, and operational requirements.
Does CDR follow Canadian research ethics standards?
Yes. CDR applies the principles of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans – TCPS 2 (2022) to research involving human participants or their information. These principles include Respect for Persons, Concern for Welfare, and Justice.
Participation is always voluntary, consent requirements are incorporated into the research design, and privacy, confidentiality, fairness, and participant welfare are considered throughout the engagement. Where formal research ethics review or another legislative or organizational approval process is required, CDR works within that process before data collection begins.
How do we begin?
Start by providing a brief description of your organization, the question you are trying to answer, the decision the research will support, and any relevant timing considerations. CDR will then determine whether the project appears to be a suitable fit for an initial discussion.