Support

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Common questions

• Is this really free? What's the catch?

  Taking part in the survey and receiving your Digital Maturity Snapshot is completely free, with no obligation to purchase anything. We do offer more detailed benchmark reports for a fee once a study closes, but these are entirely optional. The free snapshot is genuinely useful on its own, and we'd rather earn your trust with it than pressure you into buying something.

• Who is behind Collective Research?

  Collective Research is an independent research initiative, not affiliated with any consulting firm, software vendor, or industry body. Our goal is to produce honest, useful benchmark data, not to sell services off the back of it. That independence is the whole point.

• How is this different from a consulting pitch or lead generation exercise?

  It isn't one. We don't share your contact details or company information with any third party, including vendors, consultants, or sponsors. No one will contact you as a result of taking part unless you ask us to make an introduction. If that changes, we'll tell you clearly before it does.

• Will my competitors be able to see my company's answers?

  No. Your individual responses are never visible to other participants or any third party. What appears in benchmark reports is always aggregated and anonymized data across many companies, in a way that makes individual companies unidentifiable. Even we do not publish company-level results without your explicit permission.

• What data do you actually collect?

  For the early-access list: your email address, organization name, sector, and the type of participant you are. For the survey itself: operational and organizational information about your company, its tools, processes, and practices. We do not ask for personal information, financial data, or anything that would identify individual employees.

• What is 'digital maturity' and how is it measured?

  Digital maturity refers to how effectively an organization uses digital tools, processes, and ways of working across its operations. Our survey measures this across several dimensions, including technology and data, people and talent, strategy and leadership, processes and operations, and customer experience. Each dimension is scored on a 1-5 scale, from Exploring to Transforming, producing a profile rather than a single number.

• How meaningful is the benchmark if not many companies have participated yet?

  We are fully transparent about our dataset: during the early access phase of a study, peer group comparisons may combine live participant responses with high-quality, verified secondary industry data to provide initial context. In your report, every dimension shows its live sample size (N-size). As more organizations join, secondary estimations are dynamically replaced by real-time peer data. If a specific sector segment has not reached our statistical reliability threshold, we will not sell or release that benchmark report until it does.

• How long does the survey take?

  Around 30 minutes for most respondents. The questions are multiple-choice or short scale responses, not open-ended essays. You can complete it in one sitting or return to it if needed, and your progress is saved.

• Do I need to buy a report to get value from taking part?

  No. Every participant receives a free Digital Maturity Snapshot immediately after completing the survey. This includes your scores across all dimensions and a plain-language summary of where you stand. The paid reports add peer comparison by sector and company size, and in the Premium tier, tailored recommendations. The snapshot alone is genuinely useful as a starting point.

• What if our company has multiple locations, divisions, or business units?

  You can complete the survey as a whole organization, or as a specific division or location if that's more meaningful. If several people from the same organization take part independently, we can combine their responses, and there's a discount for five or more participants from the same organization. Contact us if you'd like to coordinate a multi-respondent approach.

• Is the methodology validated by external experts?

  Our benchmarking studies are built on the CDX (Collective Digital Excellence) Index, an original framework combining established industry standards with academic research across six distinct operational dimensions. The specific instrument is reviewed by independent academic advisors before each study, and we publish a methodology note alongside every report. We treat each study as a version: participant feedback directly shapes what we ask in the next one.

• How is this different from formal assessments like SIRI or similar frameworks?

  Formal assessments like SIRI are rigorous, certified, and involve trained evaluators and structured workshops. They're excellent for organizations ready to commit significant time and budget. Collective Research is designed as a lighter, self-serve alternative: faster to complete, lower cost, and accessible to companies that aren't yet at the stage of commissioning a full assessment. Think of it as a useful first picture, not a replacement for a deeper process.

• What happens to my data after the study closes?

  Your contact details are deleted once the study concludes unless you ask us to keep them for future studies. Your survey responses are retained in anonymized, aggregated form to contribute to ongoing benchmarks, but in a way that makes your company unidentifiable. You can request deletion of your identifiable data at any time before the anonymization step by emailing us.

• Can I withdraw my participation after submitting?

  Yes, up to the point where your responses have been anonymized and included in the aggregate dataset. Once that step has happened, it's technically impossible to remove your contribution without affecting the integrity of the benchmark for other participants. We'll let you know the anonymization timeline for each study. To request withdrawal, email privacy@collectiveresearch.net.

• When does the survey launch?

  We're building the early-access list now. We'll announce a launch date once we have enough organizations signed up to make the benchmark meaningful from day one. Signing up for early access costs nothing and doesn't commit you to taking part. You'll get tailored updates about the survey launch and relevant industry insights based on your profile.