About
Susan Bell Research
We are a boutique research and message testing agency based in Sydney. We work with organisations who want to improve the lives and experiences of their customers, members and stakeholders. We do this through customised research designed and conducted with care, curiosity, and commitment so that we deliver deep and rich insights to our clients.
We specialise in marketing research, communications research, message testing, and research about retirement.
Susan Bell, Founder and CEO
Hello. I am Susan Bell, the founder and CEO of Susan Bell Research, which I started in 1994.
- I am a marketing and social researcher and conference speaker / webinar presenter.
- I specialise in research about retirement and and helping government and businesses understand the new lives of older people
- I also specialise in plain language communication testing
I have been called one of the prominent voices in qualitative research worldwide. It’s not that I only do qualitative research – it is that I bring qualitative research thinking to everything we do, including survey design and cultural analysis. 1t’s the ‘thinking’ word that is important here.
I have been a pioneer in bringing thinking (that word again!) about how language works. I hove studied language and technical communication extensively and have used that to develop our own unique content testing framework.
Susan Bell Research ABN and accreditations
Susan Bell Research is a division of Les Bell & Associates. Our ABN is the Bell Settlement ABN 44 350 636 020.
We have ISO 20252 accreditation and therefore have policies and procedures in place to protect and manage data. We have an information security management system compliant with ISO 227001 – though as a small business we are not certified against it. Nevertheless, we describe our security posture as ‘well above average’.
Our Consultants
I have brought together a team of consultants who are trained in at least one of: anthropology, psychology, sociology, literature, linguistics, semiotics, marketing. behavioural science, and interaction and service design.
On any day, we could be doing a member test with investors over Zoom, conducting ethnography about take-away food use, running a focus group about tech adoption, designing a survey about a health app, or decoding images of wellness among older people – to give just a few examples.
l am the lead consultant. Suzanne Burdon and Jane Gregory hove worked with me as consultants for over two decades. We are all research dualists, in that we ore adept and experienced in qualitative and quantitative techniques.
Our Values
Research with impact
Since we opened our doors in 1994 our aim has been to design research that helps our clients identify products, services and experiences that meet their strategic objectives and helps create a better world for the people that they serve.
Challenge the status quo
How do we do it? By fearlessly challenging client thinking and the status quo. The customer is always at the forefront of our thinking.
Seeking knowledge
Learning is part of our DNA, incorporating disciplines as diverse as semiotics, plain language and sensemaking. We do this because it gives our clients deeper and richer insights.
Certifications & memberships
International Standard: ISO 20252:2019
The Research Society Company Partner
In the words of our clients
