Pre-Conference Workshops presented by CAIP Canada>>> The Speed of Change Conference 2025

Pre-Conference Workshops

In conjunction with the CRIC Conference, CAIP Canada is offering two fun, topical, and hands-on half-day workshops. These workshops are scheduled on Monday, May 26th, from 8:30 am to 4:45 pm. They will be held at the same location as the Conference, the Omni King Edward Hotel on King Street in Toronto. Attending on Monday is a great way to extend your learning experience.

Registration for the workshops includes lunch and refreshments. If you’re coming for the morning workshop, it also includes breakfast at 8 am. 

Workshop 1: 8:30 am – 12:15 pm

Stories that Move: Storytelling and Empathy in Market Research and Insights

In a world where change happens at lightning speed, storytelling and empathy are essential to delivering research that resonates and inspires action. This interactive workshop will explore how to design research holistically through the lens of empathy—considering the story from the very beginning. Through practical tools and collaborative exercises, participants will learn to create compelling narratives that transform data into insights, connect on a human level, and drive meaningful decisions in rapidly evolving environments.

Instructor:

Deborah Klotz, CAIP

Vice President, Insights at Upwords Inc.

Deborah is a recognized leader in qualitative research, known for her ability to uncover deep human insights and craft compelling narratives that drive strategic decision-making. With over two decades of experience, she has helped clients across industries—including Travel & Tourism, FMCG, Financial Services, Technology, and Government—transform data into engaging, human-centered stories that inspire action.

Deborah, a CAIP-certified researcher, is a passionate educator and sought-after speaker. She developed and teaches CAIP’s Moderator Essentials course and has previously trained moderators through the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA) and the RD Centre for Learning.

She has spoken at numerous conferences and currently serves as Co-chair of the Canada Chapter of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association. Her expertise has earned her multiple awards, including the MRIA’s Research and Excellence Award and the Emerging Leader Award.

If you want to enhance the way you communicate insights and inspire action, this interactive workshop is not to be missed.

What we will cover:

• The power of storytelling in research and how to uncover meaningful narratives
• Mini empathy masterclass
• Key storytelling principles and practical tools to deliver insights that inspire

Learning Outcomes:

Through engaging discussion and interactive exercises attendees will understand how to:

• Design research with empathy
• Craft compelling narratives that transform data into actionable insights
• Turn complex data into engaging, human-centered stories that drive decision-making
• Structure research findings that deeply resonate and inspire diverse audiences

Who should attend:

Research professionals (buyers and suppliers) who want to improve how they communicate insights.

The learnings from this workshop are highly applicable to qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method studies.

Workshop 2: 1:00 pm – 4:45 pm

Generative AI in Market Research & Insights: Hands-On for Immediate Impact

Join us for this pre-conference workshop designed specifically for market research and insights professionals. This session offers an engaging mix of foundational theory and, more importantly, hands-on exercises focused on practical applications of generative AI for professional outcome. Our goal is to equip you with approaches and strategies that you can incorporate into your daily work.

What to Expect:

• Core Concepts Made Practical
  Begin with an accessible overview of generative AI fundamentals. Learn how key concepts—such as tokens, temperature settings, and other parameters directly influence AI-generated outputs, helping you to understand what’s really going on under the hood and to fine-tune your approach to improve your outcomes.
• Interactive Exercises
  This workshop is built around practical, real-world exercises. You will work through live scenarios that can be implemented using widely available generative AI tools like ChatGPT. These hands-on activities are designed to simulate your everyday research and insights tasks and challenges, and to give you the confidence to experiment with AI in your own projects right away.
• Synthetic Data in Market Research
  We will touch on the latest around synthetic data to provide context about its evolving role in market research. You’ll gain a primer on synthetic data concepts, current applications and platforms, and discuss potential strengths and pitfalls.
• Tool-Ready (and Agnostic) Environment
  To ensure you can participate smoothly, attendees will be provided free access to MQO Research’s secure “MQO A.I. Hub” platform (mqo.ai) for live exercises, and for themselves and their organizations for two weeks following the workshop. This means you do not need any special software on your own device; you can also choose the AI tools you’re already familiar with if you prefer.

Who Should Attend:

This workshop is ideal for market research professionals in Canada who are eager to bring practical AI tools into their workflows. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to upgrade your existing skills, this session will provide clear, immediately applicable insights to boost your research projects.

Logistics:

• Duration: 3.5 hours
• Format: In-person pre-conference workshop
• Requirements: Just bring your laptop with internet access. We’ll provide the necessary access to MQO Research’s “MQO A.I. Hub,” ensuring you have everything you need to participate in a fully interactive experience (or use your own favourite generative AI platform).

Instructor:

Brenden Sommerhalder
President, MQO Research

Brenden is a noted strategist, researcher, communicator, and applied AI leader with 20 years of experience working at the intersection of people research, strategic development, and innovation. Having adopted online methodologies and channels in the earliest days of the technology, Brenden has spent his career testing the edges of emerging tools and adapting them to the rigorous standards for validity and data security demanded by the insights profession. He has led client accounts ranging from multinational brands to local nonprofits spanning sectors including media, CPG, utilities, government, tourism, gaming, and more.

As president of MQO Research, Brenden pioneered and continues to lead development and market execution of the firm’s MQO A.I. Hub (mqo.ai), a secure, compliant, and performance-tuned AI platform for Canadian professional service providers. He has delivered presentations at the 2023 and 2024 conferences of the Canadian Research Insights Council and serves as on the Council’s AI Task Force. Brenden is also host of What Number Surprised You?, a podcast by MQO Research.

The Speed of Change Conference 2025

In an era of accelerating technological advancements, societal shifts, and evolving consumer expectations, understanding and adapting to “The Speed of Change” is crucial. Join us at the 2025 CRIC National Conference, where Canada’s market research community will gather to explore rapid transformation across industries, technology, and public opinion—while staying connected to the human insights that drive decisions and innovation.