We are fully aware of the working processes and business challenges facing the publishing sector and have specialist knowledge of conducting publishing market research within the following areas:
Schools (primary, secondary and SEN)
We have run many successful projects in this sector using focus groups, interviews and quantitative methods. The work we have conducted here has included research with teachers, learners (from 5 to 18), school leaders, governors and administrators.
Further education
The further education sector is complex and fragmented. Our expertise in this sector has enabled us to run research projects for clients concerned with academic, vocational and work-based learning initiatives. Our projects include qualitative and quantitative work with a range of stakeholders in further education institutions, private training providers and sixth form colleges.
Higher education
Two of our team have a background in textbook publishing and development and we have particular expertise in this area. Our projects here have focused on new digital product testing and concept testing, as well as research on more generalised aspects of student behaviour, including secondhand book purchasing and VLE use. Clients in this area include Cambridge University Press, Pearson, Elsevier, Wiley-Blackwell and Cengage.
Journals and academic publishing
Projects have included new product and concept testing in addition to user experience work on new digital products and platforms. Clients include Cambridge University Press and Emerald.
ELT publishing
The ELT publishing sector is complex, with audiences and decision-makers spread worldwide. Shift Learning have expertise in dealing with these complexities creating multi-country, multi-language projects which deliver real insights to our clients at a realistic cost. Clients in this area include Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press and Pearson.
Professional and medical publishing
Our experience in this sector overlaps with work that we have conducted for a number of the world’s leading medical publishers and societies. Publishing market research clients in this sector include Oxford University Press, BMJ, and Wolters Kluwer.
