Reflecting on a Transformative Year at American Directions Research Group
Originally published April 2025. The work described here continues — for the latest on ADRG’s perspective on AI in research, see AI After the Hype: Notes from IIEX North America 2026.
Key Takeaways
- ADRG completed its first major platform transition under new CEO Kevin Kelly, migrating telephone, online, and multimodal survey operations to Forsta during 2024.
- The Forsta migration unlocked new capabilities including online reporting, data aggregation, process automation, advanced analytics, and complex survey methodologies.
- ADRG embraced generative AI to streamline survey programming, automate basic validation, and conduct machine-based quality assurance ahead of human review.
- The company launched new commercial healthcare tools and advanced analytics offerings, expanding service depth for clients in regulated and complex industries.
- A refreshed brand identity captured ADRG’s evolving position: innovation-forward, insights-driven, and committed to data that drives meaningful decisions.
As I reflect on my first year as CEO of American Directions Research Group (ADRG), I’m filled with pride and gratitude for what we’ve achieved together. It has been a period of transformation, growth, and innovation—one that sets the stage for an even brighter future for our company and the clients we serve.
When I stepped into this role, I saw immense potential in ADRG: a legacy of excellence, a team of dedicated professionals, and a commitment to delivering high-quality insights to our clients. Over the past year, we’ve built on that foundation, ushering in a new era for ADRG. Today, I’m excited to share some of the milestones that have defined this journey and to introduce the culmination of these efforts: a refreshed ADRG brand.
Achievements That Define the Year
- Transitioning to Forsta: One of our key accomplishments has been transitioning our core data collection platform to Forsta. This move has streamlined our processes, enhanced our capabilities, and positioned us to deliver even greater value to our clients. Forsta’s cutting-edge platform is enabling us to collect and analyze data with unprecedented efficiency and precision.
- Building a Stronger Team: To support our growth and evolution, we’ve brought on seasoned professionals to lead our programming/data processing and human resources functions. Their expertise and leadership have been instrumental in driving operational excellence and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.
- Harnessing Generative AI: We’ve embraced the power of generative AI to revolutionize our offerings. From improving quality and turnaround times to introducing new tools that enhance the client experience, AI is helping us stay ahead of the curve and deliver insights that truly make a difference.
- Launching New Products: This year, we introduced advanced analytics and commercial healthcare tools, expanding our capabilities and offering clients solutions tailored to their unique needs. These products reflect our commitment to staying at the forefront of the industry and anticipating the challenges and opportunities our clients face.
A Brand Refresh for a New Era
The transformations we’ve undertaken over the past year have paved the way for something truly exciting: a refresh of the ADRG brand. This refresh isn’t just about a new logo or color scheme—it’s about capturing the essence of who we are today and where we’re headed.
Our new brand reflects our commitment to innovation, our dedication to delivering actionable insights, and our belief in the power of data to drive meaningful change. It’s a visual and strategic representation of the progress we’ve made and the opportunities ahead.
As we unveil this refreshed brand, I want to express my deepest thanks to the ADRG team, our clients, and our partners. Your trust and support have been the driving force behind this transformative year. Together, we’re building a future where ADRG continues to lead the way in research and insights.
Here’s to a bright future and to continuing this incredible journey together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under new CEO Kevin Kelly, ADRG completed several major changes during 2024, including migrating its core data collection platform to Forsta, embracing generative AI in survey workflows, launching advanced analytics and commercial healthcare tools, and refreshing its brand identity. The combined result was a significant expansion in client-facing capabilities while preserving the operational discipline ADRG has built over nearly four decades.
Forsta is a multimodal market research platform that supports telephone, online, and integrated survey interviewing. It provides integrated infrastructure for sample management, response capture, reporting, and quality control. ADRG migrated its core data collection operations to Forsta in 2024 to unlock capabilities including online reporting, data aggregation, process automation, advanced analytics, and complex survey methodologies.
ADRG uses generative AI to streamline survey programming, automate basic validation, and conduct machine-based quality assurance before human review. The principle behind ADRG’s AI integration is that AI should support human judgment at the joints where it matters, not replace it. The goal is to improve quality and turnaround times for clients without sacrificing the trust that human-led research provides.
ADRG migrated to the Forsta platform to consolidate telephone, online, and multimodal interviewing on a single integrated infrastructure. The migration improved sample management and response rates across modes, and unlocked new client-facing services including online reporting, data aggregation, process automation, advanced analytics, and complex survey methodologies that the previous platform could not support.
ADRG’s commercial healthcare tools, launched in 2024, provide tailored research and data collection solutions for clients in regulated and complex healthcare environments. These tools build on ADRG’s broader analytics and data quality capabilities to address the specific methodological and compliance requirements of healthcare research.
Kevin M. Kelly is Chief Executive Officer of American Directions Research Group (ADRG), a U.S.-based market research and data collection firm with nearly 40 years of industry experience. He joined ADRG in 2023 and led the platform, analytics, and brand transformation described above. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.