UMDI’s comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis services help organizations understand complex questions from multiple perspectives. Using mixed-methods approaches—including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and advanced statistical analysis—we generate rigorous, reliable evidence tailored to each project’s goals. We provide unbiased analysis and high-quality deliverables that translate complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and communities.
Our Range of Services
UMDI manages projects of all sizes encompassing one or more of the following skillsets, often partnering with clients over many years as their needs evolve.
Featured Project: Mixed-Methods Study on Housing Crisis in Western Massachusetts
In 2025, UMDI was commissioned by Way Finders, an affordable housing organization dedicated to bringing home stability to people across Western Massachusetts, to update previous regional housing studies. Their goal was to obtain a comprehensive picture of housing conditions in the area's four counties, as well as gain some region-specific context to the findings of the Statewide Housing Needs Assessment and Housing Production Plan. UMDI’s findings indicate, in part, that Western Massachusetts’s housing affordability crisis requires multi-step solutions, including more housing at all income levels and investment in affordability solutions and eviction prevention measures.
Featured Project: Program Development and Evaluation for Newton Thrive
To overcome systemic barriers faced by its lower-income population, the City of Newton, Massachusetts, partnered with Economic Mobility Pathways (To overcome systemic barriers faced by its lower-income population, the City of Newton, Massachusetts, partnered with Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath) on Newton Thrive, a pilot program designed to support low-income residents who were impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic. UMDI worked closely with the city from the very beginning, from facilitating meetings with the advisory committee to developing a monitoring and reporting timeline and collaborating with EMPath on a data collection plan. UMDI’s program evaluation documented a 90 percent retention rate for the program's first cohort with participants achieving important goals such as applying to jobs, paying down credit card debt, and finding an affordable home.
Featured Project: Study of Effective College Access and Success Practices
In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on race-conscious admissions in higher education in 2024, the Executive Office of Education (EOE) partnered with UMDI to conduct a survey and focus groups on topics related to historically and currently underrepresented students’ transition into and out of college and career. Among other findings, the study surfaced insights into components that make college access and success programs impactful, including engaging students and families early to build awareness, addressing structural and systemic barriers through comprehensive supports, and fostering connections within the college community to strengthen sense of belonging.
Featured Project: Industry Analysis of Northeast Massachusetts Innovation Economy and Workforce Landscape
In 2024, UMDI was commissioned to conduct a study of the Northeast Massachusetts innovation economy with a particular focus on the workforce. This area is a leader in several advanced industries, including semiconductor manufacturing equipment, medical devices, computer hardware and software, and aircraft engines. This study sought to identify innovative solutions to regional labor challenges in technology-related occupations and industries, with a particular focus on increasing labor force participation, raising skill levels, and developing career paths for a range of groups, including populations that are underrepresented in STEM.