Where AI Meets Human Expertise, a Model for Future Research
The Big Dogs Network is a professional network of business leaders and entrepreneurs with experience working for or with Fortune 1000 companies, dedicated to fostering collaboration, leadership, and continuous growth. Each month, the group features programming that delivers practical insights on business development and marketing, often led by luminaries in marketing, strategy, and innovation.
In August 2025, the Big Dogs Network partnered with Value Architect (valuearchitect.io) and Q2 Insights to conduct a formative study on member engagement and future direction. The study’s objective was to capture authentic member voices, uncover the drivers of engagement, and provide actionable insights to guide the evolution of “Big Dogs 2.0.”
What made the process distinctive was the hybrid model, where Value Architect’s AI capabilities worked hand in hand with Q2 Insights” human expertise, both offered pro bono.
Research Design and Methodology
The study unfolded in seven coordinated steps, where AI provided speed and scale while human researchers ensured nuance and strategic alignment:
1. Develop Discussion Guide (Human Researchers from Q2 Insights) – A structured guide was developed to capture both rational and emotional drivers of membership.
2. Conduct Peer Interviews (Human Participants) – The four Big Dogs Network leaders interviewed 27 peers, creating a candid, peer-to-peer environment.
3. Transcribe with AI – An AI transcription platform processed audio recordings quickly and accurately, preserving nuance.
4. Data Transfer to Value Architect – Verbatim transcripts were uploaded to Value Architect, which became the hub for analysis.
5. Analyze and Segment (Value Architect + Human Prompts) – Value Architect analyzed participant responses for each question and generated segmentation models that could then receive guided prompts from the researcher.
6. Interpret Outputs with Human Researchers – Model Outputs were reviewed, optimized, and contextualized to ensure the findings aligned with the goals of the study.
7. AI-Enhanced Reporting – A presentation was drafted using Gamma.app (formerly gamma.ai) and refined by the researcher for clarity and impact.
This methodology illustrates Value Architect’s emphasis on keeping the “Researcher in the Loop” at each step of analysis, amplifying the role of human researchers rather than replace it.
Key Insights and Findings
The study surfaced a wide range of detailed observations that were captured in the final report. What follows represents only a fraction of the insights, selected to illustrate the type of value the process delivered. Value Architect’s analysis revealed several high-level insights, which were then validated and contextualized by human researchers:
- Core drivers of engagement are multi-dimensional. Members are motivated to participate for different reasons: business development, learning and inspiration, or visibility.
- Content quality is central. Across segments, the caliber of speakers and discussions is consistently valued.
- Structure matters. Members seeking ROI expect clear pathways to collaboration and measurable value from participation.
- Flexibility is essential. Programming must offer a balance that resonates with multiple segments simultaneously.
These insights allow Big Dogs to evolve into a network that meets the needs of a diverse membership while staying true to its mission of collaboration and growth.
Member Segmentation
One of the most powerful segmentation models generated by Value Architect reveals underlying, core drives latent in individual comments. For this project, we focused on this approach and were guided to cluster Big Dogs members into three distinct profiles, organized along what became known as the Value-Driven Engagement Spectrum.
1. Business Development Seekers (Revenue-Focused)
Motivated by referrals, leads, and collaborative projects, these members look for tangible ROI and benefit most from structured networking opportunities.
2. Knowledge & Connection Cultivators (Learning & Growth-Focused)
Drawn to thought leadership and professional development, this group values high-quality speakers, engaging discussions, and opportunities to broaden expertise.
3. Expertise Contributors (Visibility & Thought Leadership-Oriented)
Focused on opportunities to share their expertise, these members add value selectively through speaking, mentoring, and thought leadership.
This segmentation, made possible by Value Architect’s AI-driven analysis and refined by human interpretation, provided Big Dogs with a clear framework for shaping its future programming and mission.
Value Architect’s Role
Value Architect was not simply a technology provider; they were an essential partner in the research process. Their contribution included:
- Systematic Transcript Analysis – Organizing responses by question and surfacing common themes.
- Segmentation Framework – Using AI to cluster members into profiles that align with their motivations and engagement styles.
- Collaborative Refinement – Empowering the human researcher to ensure the AI’s outputs were not only accurate but strategically useful.
Value Architect demonstrated the power of AI-driven platforms to expand research capabilities, accelerate analysis, and enhance strategic clarity.
The Interplay of AI and Human Researchers
This project underscored the complementary roles of AI and human expertise.
- AI Accelerated. Value Architect’s platform, paired with transcription and reporting tools, handled tasks that would otherwise have consumed weeks.
- Humans Corrected and Interpreted. In some cases, the interpretation or conclusions reached by AI were simply wrong or misaligned with the context of the study. This was not a shortcoming of Value Architect, but rather the natural limitation of any AI tool without lived experience of the Big Dogs Network. Q2 Insights researchers identified and corrected these errors, ensuring accuracy.
- Humans Surfaced Insights AI Missed. Beyond correcting mistakes, the researchers drew out themes, nuances, and strategic implications that AI did not capture on its own.
- AI Provided Scale. With 27 interviews to process, AI delivered systematic, comprehensive analysis.
- Humans Provided Meaning. The final recommendations reflected not just what was said but why it mattered strategically.
The result was not just speed but depth and reliability. The AI provided structure and efficiency, while human researchers ensured that insights were both valid and actionable.
Professional Appraisal of the Approach
From the perspective of a professional researcher, this project offered important lessons about the evolving relationship between AI and human expertise.
First, Value Architect vastly exceeded my expectations. The quality of its analysis, the systematic structuring of responses, and especially the segmentation work was exceptional. The resulting segmentation was especially impressive, providing a framework that was both intuitive and actionable.
Second, having worked with AI in real-time data analysis for more than six years, I have come to recognize that AI alone is not enough. Without professional researchers involved at multiple stages, key insights would have been missed, and in some cases, outright mistakes would have been incorporated into the findings. In this study, human researchers were integral to the design of the study, development of the discussion guide, interpretation of the AI outputs, and the creation of the final report.
Third, while AI tools like Gamma.app are remarkably efficient, they also require significant human input to produce accurate and relevant deliverables. For example, the first draft of the report included images that emphasized in-person gatherings, yet most Big Dogs Network activities take place virtually. Without human review, the visual story would have misrepresented the organization’s reality.
In short, AI proved invaluable for speed, scale, and structure, but human researchers ensured credibility, relevance, and strategic alignment. It is the combination of both that delivered the strongest outcomes.
Conclusion
The Big Dogs Network study demonstrates how AI-driven platforms like Value Architect can transform the research process. By combining automated transcription, systematic qualitative analysis, and segmentation with human interpretation, the project identified clear member profiles, surfaced key engagement drivers, and laid the groundwork for Big Dogs 2.0.
For organizations considering AI in research, this case offers a compelling model: AI to accelerate, humans to interpret, and partners like Value Architect to provide the technical backbone that makes it possible.
Big Dogs now has a clear path forward, with programming and strategy guided by actionable insights from its members. More importantly, the process itself, marrying AI capability with human expertise in a true “Researcher in the Loop” model, offers a roadmap for future research in any field.
Learn More
The Big Dogs Network is all about sharing experiences, connections, and practical knowledge to help leaders grow and thrive. Marketing consultants with a strong focus on strategies that resonate with Fortune 1000 companies, our programming is designed to offer actionable insights from those who have successfully navigated high-stakes business environments.
If you would like to learn more about the Big Dogs, please reach out to any of our leadership members:
Ron Synder (rsnyder@innovations86.com)
Peter Kay (pkay@innovations86.com)
Steve Bellach (steve@blmllc.com)
Kirsty Nunez (kirsty.nunez@q2insights.com)
Article by Kirsty D. Nunez, President and Chief Research Strategist at Q2 Insights, and member of the Big Dogs Network leadership team.
