What is Social Research?
Social research for government, policy and community decision‑making
Social research is the systematic study of people, communities and society. In a government and public policy context, it provides the evidence base needed for policy development, program design, evaluation and community consultation. Social research uses qualitative and quantitative research methods to understand behaviours, attitudes, experiences and outcomes, supporting evidence‑based decision‑making and improved social outcomes.
At Wallis, social research focuses on turning complex human experiences into clear, actionable insights that support better decision‑making for government, not‑for‑profit and purpose‑led organisations.
What does Social Research involve in government and public policy?
Social research combines structured planning, ethical data collection and rigorous analysis. Researchers design studies to answer specific questions, selecting the most appropriate methods based on the policy context, target population, risk profile and intended use of the findings, such as policy advice, program evaluation or regulatory decision‑making.
Social research commonly explores questions such as:
What do people think, feel or experience in relation to a policy, service or issue?
How do attitudes or behaviours differ across population groups or locations?
What factors influence decision‑making or behaviour change?
What is working well, and what could be improved?
Our Approaches
Qualitative social research for policy and consultation
Qualitative research focuses on depth rather than numbers. It explores why people think or behave the way they do, providing rich insights into motivations, perceptions and lived experience.
Common qualitative social research methods include:
In‑depth interviews
Focus groups (online or in person)
Community consultations and workshops
Ethnographic and observational research
Qualitative research is particularly valuable when exploring new or complex issues, testing concepts, or understanding sensitive topics where context and nuance matter.
Quantitative social research and population measurement
Quantitative research focuses on measurement and scale. It uses structured data collection to identify patterns, trends and statistically reliable results across larger populations.
Common quantitative social research methods include:
Online surveys
Telephone surveys, including CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing)
Longitudinal and tracking studies
Analysis of existing or administrative data
Quantitative research helps answer questions such as how many, how often and to what extent, supporting benchmarking, evaluation and performance measurement.
What is CATI?
CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) is a quantitative research method where trained interviewers conduct surveys by phone using specialised software. The system guides the interviewer through the questionnaire, ensuring consistency, accuracy and high data quality.
CATI research is particularly effective for:
Reaching diverse or hard‑to‑reach populations
Conducting complex surveys that require interviewer guidance
Achieving higher response rates compared to some self‑completion methods
Government and large‑scale social research projects
Why social research matters for government and the public sector
High-quality social research provides the evidence base government and public sector organisations need to make effective decisions. It combines qualitative and quantitative methods to inform policy development, program design, community consultation, social impact measurement and evaluation. Wallis manages the full research lifecycle from study design and data collection (including CATI) through to analysis, reporting and insight translation. Our approach ensures research is robust, practical and ready to inform real-world decisions.
Just need the data?
If you already have the research questions and simply need high-quality data collection, our sub-brand Surveys Australia offers reliable, secure and efficient data collection services. This includes online surveys, hardcoy surveys, and CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing), allowing organisations to access robust data without a full end-to-end research engagement.