We’ve been blogging long enough now that we figured it would be a good idea to reveal the people behind the blogging scenes here at PluggedIN. First up is me, Matt Foley, a Senior Community Consultant at PluggedIN. Read on for an “interview” with me…

“So who are you and what do you do at PluggedIN?”

I’m a Senior Community Consultant here at PluggedIN. My role is to help identify new applications for online research communities, design the best solution around the client’s research objectives, develop the research and facilitation plan, help guide the moderation for our research communities and analyze the feedback for the monthly reports. It’s lots of “hands on” moderation and reporting work, but also quite a bit of the high-level strategy around how to effectively use online research communities. I wouldn’t do anything else (barring the chance to join the PGA tour as a pro…)

Matt Foley the Motivational Speaker (not me :)

“Wait, is your name really ‘Matt Foley?’ As in Matt Foley the motivational speaker from those old Saturday Night Live skits?”

Yes indeed - and I live in a van down by the river :) You wouldn’t believe how often people remind me of that. In fact, I was stopped the other day on a flight because the guy recognized my name and couldn’t believe it was really my name. Seriously, I don’t mind though…

“So how did you get started with online research communities?”

I started off my career as a qualitative researcher and focus group moderator at Harris Interactive. At Harris I had the chance to work on just about every type of research methodology out there, from traditional focus groups to intense year-long ethnography studies. I was really fortunate in that I had the chance to work across so many different industries and verticals. I also worked with a great bunch of people on the qualitative team there. However, once I got my first taste of research communities, I was hooked…

“What do you like best about your job?”

I like the point about three months into a community where you really feel like you know the audience from all the activities you’ve run. It’s totally different from the feeling from just about any other research methodology. I also like delivering the monthly community reports since it’s the most “tangible” output of all the work that goes into a community, and clients tend to really appreciate being “in the know” and having all their research questions answered at the end of each month.

“What do you like the least about your job?”

I’m not a fan of dealing with “bad seeds” in communities - those participants that just refuse to play nice… They put you in a tough position as a moderator, since you want divergent opinions to have the best possible discussions, while at the same time ensuring that community members are enjoying themselves in the community.

“They say you can tell a lot about a person by what they read… What was the last book you read?”

Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

I’m a total sucker for those business books that deal with consumer behavior and psychology (as it relates to business). The last book I read was called “ Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior ,” by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman. I picked it up at O’Hare and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. It made me question many of the assumptions I’ve held true about research, and just generally the way I think about my own shopping behavior. In fact, I plan on getting around to blogging about it one of these days…

“So where are online research communities heading? What is the future of social media?”

If I knew that, I’d be living large right now :) I know online research communities have a promising future, but to be honest, I’m not really sure where things are heading in the general social media realm given some of the recent events that have happened in the economy. It’s a bit of a troubling time for many of the most innovative social media startups, and I just hope they all make it through. Many times their creations trickle down into industries like market research and help us all make advancements in the way we conduct our research.

“Quick…favorite sport?”

Hockey or baseball (Red Sox fan here…)

Dexter

Any pets?

Yeah. 5 month old puppy named Dexter.

Favorite band?

I’ve seen Radiohead 12 times. I can’t get sick of hearing them. OK Computer is one of the best albums of all time, even though others here at PluggedIN would tend to disagree…

Favorite website?

I’m absolutely addicted to Digg.com. I have been since it was launched. People make fun of me for it. It’s actually pretty embarrassing how often I’m on Digg every day.

How can I reach you?

Comment here on our blog, email me at mfoley@pluggedinco.com , find me on LinkedIN here . Also follow me on twitter (@mattpluggedin) if you’d like.

“Wait, did you really just interview yourself for a blog post?”

Yup.

“Isn’t that a little strange?”

Probably, yeah…