NetQuest Overview

NetQuest is the Internet companion to the popular ComQuest callout system. While ComQuest uses live interviewers to initiate contact with respondents over the telephone, NetQuest is designed to collect music and perceptual data from respondents through the Internet who have been directed to the NetQuest server via your radio station's website.

Once qualified, based on the test parameters you have defined in NetQuest Connect, the respondent will hear short MP3 clips (song hooks), and NetQuest will collect their score for each song, either by clicking on the prompt which most-closely matches their feelings about that song; such as "Tired of It", "One of my Favorites", etc.

This NetQuest User's Guide is designed as a reference tool to assist in answering questions you have about every aspect of the system. The chapters, and the topics within each chapter, are presented in the same order in which each item occurs in the menus in NetQuest Connect. This makes it easier to navigate through the manual if you're trying to locate information about a specific function or procedure. Also, the Index at the end of the manual is intentionally detailed to help you locate the exact information you are seeking.

As NetQuest is constantly changing and evolving, it is virtually impossible for the documentation to always be totally in-synch with the program. As such, if you are not able to find help or an explanation for some aspect of the program within a few minutes, we strongly encourage you to contact us directly at 619-659-3600. Your station's NetQuest license fee includes unlimited Technical Support and assistance, and we urge you to contact us with any questions, suggestions, complaints or problems you're encountering. (However, we also humbly request that you first look in the manual for the answer.)

There is a long list of features and benefits associated with using the NetQuest system. For an overview of these specs, see that section in the Appendix of the NetQuest User's Guide.

Goals And Objectives

NetQuest will enable your station to:

•	Conduct on-line (Internet) music and perceptual research.

•	Define recruitment parameters for each test cycle based on demographic, gender, ethnic and radio listening preferences.

•	Control the use of panels, so you can decide how many people are cycled during test weeks, and how often.

•	Change any songs or perceptual questions whenever you desire.

•	Change the P1/P2 preference parameters for a test cycle as you desire.

•	Conduct simple or complex Perceptual Question research.

Other than the ultimate control you now have over your station's music research, you also enjoy real-time/immediate access to the results. There is virtually no lag between the time you wish to test a song or perceptual question, and when you can see results. Put a song in the test tonight, and see the results tomorrow morning!

In addition, the quality-control employed by the collection of song scores by NetQuest means a more pristine research environment, which will net you more stable, less wobbly research results. This is achieved in part by the following factors:

•	All songs are played back in the same digital quality, at the same level and high-fidelity to all respondents.

•	No interviewer-interpreted responses... respondents click on their own answer for each song or Interactive question.

•	No interviewer bias is introduced in the song score collection process. Research has proven that respondents are more candid and honest when submitting data to a computer than they are to another human being.

•	No order bias (where the same song is always first or always last). Each respondent starts at a different song in your list, but hears the song hooks in the same sequence as other respondents.

Keyboard Conventions

Throughout the NetQuest User's Guide, you will see notations that look like this:

+ This is important information relating to the subject you are reviewing. Be sure you read and understand the content of these notes.

Also, if you are to type something on the computer's keyboard, those directions will be displayed in this style:

F1 key

CTRL + C