DPP and Signiant Launch Real-time Research Project into Remote Working in the Time of Coronavirus

– Research will chart how media companies and individuals adapt to new ways of working –

LONDON, UK / LEXINGTON, USA – 31, March 2020 — The DPP, in partnership with Signiant, has launched a four-month longitudinal research project to chart how feelings and behaviors around remote and distributed working develop across the media industry through the course of the Coronavirus pandemic. The research will examine how companies make structural adaptations, as well as recording personal and emotional journeys.

The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the media industry – like all industries – is huge and unprecedented. One of the most immediate impacts is the need for almost every company to adopt remote working, using cloud-based tools. When the pandemic eventually ends, will businesses simply return to the way they worked before? Or will working practices have been changed forever?

At the heart of the project is a monthly survey, across a four-month period, of around 20 questions. It will be completed by companies from across the supply chain, and from around the world. These surveys will track how companies are being impacted by the crisis and how they are adapting to new ways of working.

The monthly survey is supported by a weekly ‘flash survey’ of around five questions, which is intended to take the emotional temperature of respondents.

“We’re living through a key moment in world history, and we know nothing will ever be quite the same again,” said Mark Harrison, DPP managing director. “It’s important that we capture in real-time how this crisis is changing the way we work. Research such as this will give us unique insights that will enable us to gain wisdom from an otherwise traumatic event.”

Jon Finegold, chief marketing officer, Signiant, added, “As Signiant solutions play a critical role in connecting the global media supply chain, enabling global collaboration, we’re working hard to do our part to help the industry keep content flowing. The current pandemic has certainly magnified something we’ve always believed and that is ‘we are all in this together’.”

In addition, research analysis is being undertaken regarding the state of the wider media industry, charting key developments over time to provide background context to the work.

Halfway through the research, the DPP will hold a virtual version of its DPP At Home event strand, exploring some of the emerging themes and to add some qualitative depth to the quantitative research. A short interim report will be published following this event.

A full report will be published in July 2020.

Companies that would like to participate should email Anh Mao at anh@thedpp.com. The research team is especially interested in participation from organizations in gaming, VFX, Esports, motion picture, and television episodic production.