Improving Open-End Data with Synthetic Enrichment

Using AI-enhanced responses and scoring to deepen weak qualitative input

The Challenge

In large-scale quantitative studies, open-ended responses often offer valuable context, emotional nuance, and consumer vocabulary. But in reality, most open-ends are short, vague, and lack analytical depth — especially when respondents feel rushed or disengaged. Market researchers frequently face the dilemma of having rich closed-ended data but poor-quality verbatims that fail to illuminate the “why” behind choices.

This challenge was particularly visible in a global concept testing study conducted by a leading consumer goods brand, where less than 40% of respondents provided coherent or useful open-end responses. Despite solid sample targeting and high engagement on structured questions, the qualitative layer was weak — undermining the depth and storytelling potential of the research findings.

The Objective

The client turned to DataDiggers with a clear ask:

“Can you extract more insight from underdeveloped open-ends without altering the authenticity of what was said?”

The goal was twofold:

1. Enhance the quality and usability of open-end responses using AI enrichment.
2. Score enriched data reliably to enable theme clustering and emotional tonality analysis for better strategic decision-making.

Our Solution

DataDiggers deployed a dual-engine approach combining two proprietary technologies:

• Syntheo — for AI persona-based augmentation of weak or empty open-ends using realistic, context-aware synthetic inputs.
• Correlix — for statistical enrichment, thematic alignment, and bias-resistant simulation based on verified linguistic patterns across millions of high-quality global responses.

Both engines were activated post-survey within our Brainactive platform. Here’s how we did it:

Step 1: Open-End Scoring and Filtering

Using Brainactive’s AI assistant Brainy, we first categorized all open-ends based on verbosity, relevance, sentiment, and coherence. Approximately 58% of responses were flagged as “weak” — either too short (“Good product,” “I like it”), off-topic, or empty.

Step 2: Contextual Enrichment with Syntheo

Syntheo analyzed each weak open-end in the context of the respondent’s full survey trail — including closed-ended responses, behavioral patterns, and demographic metadata. It then generated plausible enriched verbatims that aligned with the original meaning but added detail, rationale, and emotional framing — without fabricating opinions.

Example:
Original: “Seems nice.”
Enriched: “Seems nice, especially the clean packaging and natural ingredients. I’d probably consider it over my current brand if the price is right.”

Syntheo’s synthetic personas, deeply modeled on real behavioral and psychographic patterns, ensured authenticity without distortion.

Step 3: Pattern Reinforcement with Correlix

Correlix was applied to simulate potential thematic expansions and validate the representativeness of the enriched dataset. By referencing a global corpus of 10+ million human-coded responses, it helped reinforce patterns that were statistically likely in similar research contexts, while adjusting for response bias, overrepresentation, or cultural skew.

Step 4: Real-Time Visualization in Brainactive

Enriched and validated open-ends were clustered thematically and scored for emotional tonality, distinctiveness, and intensity. Visual outputs included:

• Word clouds reflecting both original and enriched responses
• Theme frequency charts showing pre/post enrichment differences
• Sentiment maps with breakdowns by region and persona segment

The Outcome

The impact was clear, measurable, and strategic.

The enriched qualitative layer provided strategic insights that were previously invisible, including:

• Concerns about sustainability packaging surfaced as a dominant emerging theme
• Emotional drivers (trust, simplicity, naturalness) gained statistical significance
• Market differences in language tone (e.g., enthusiasm in LATAM vs. caution in DACH) were better mapped

Why It Worked

• AI without guesswork: Syntheo’s augmentation respected context and behavioral realism — no hallucinated data, just expanded intent.
• Quant-Qual synergy: Correlix ensured the statistical soundness of themes and added analytical depth.
• Real-time, human oversight: Every synthetic enhancement passed through our QA filters, with optional client review for sensitive markets.

What This Means for You

If your open-end data feels like an afterthought — short, shallow, or hard to interpret — DataDiggers offers a future-proof solution that transforms qualitative “blanks” into business-critical insights.

Whether you're validating a new product, analyzing CX feedback, or exploring unmet needs, our synthetic enrichment workflow delivers:

• Faster time-to-insight
• Deeper, persona-aligned narratives
• Cross-market comparability
• Research you can act on with confidence

About DataDiggers
DataDiggers is a technology-driven market research agency combining global reach, verified respondents, and AI innovation. Through Brainactive, Syntheo, Modeliq, and Correlix, we help brands and agencies make smarter, faster, more reliable decisions — based on data they can trust.

‍

Learn how synthetic enrichment can elevate your next study.
Contact us now or visit our Syntheo and Correlix product pages.

‍