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A focus group is a small group of carefully selected individuals who are interviewed to explore qualitative research, primarily for market research. It involves conducting an informal discussion among a small group of respondents, moderated by a trained facilitator. There are typically 5 stages to conducting a successful focus group: 1) plan the topic and questions, 2) find suitable participants, 3) run the group successfully, 4) analyze the feedback, and 5) validate the findings. The document provides guidance on techniques for each stage, such as using open-ended questions, ensuring all participants have an opportunity to speak, looking for themes in the analysis, and double validating findings through additional research.

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253 views13 pages

Focus Groups Photo

A focus group is a small group of carefully selected individuals who are interviewed to explore qualitative research, primarily for market research. It involves conducting an informal discussion among a small group of respondents, moderated by a trained facilitator. There are typically 5 stages to conducting a successful focus group: 1) plan the topic and questions, 2) find suitable participants, 3) run the group successfully, 4) analyze the feedback, and 5) validate the findings. The document provides guidance on techniques for each stage, such as using open-ended questions, ensuring all participants have an opportunity to speak, looking for themes in the analysis, and double validating findings through additional research.

Uploaded by

api-528142142
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Focus Groups Primary research technique

What is a focus group?


Objectives
What techniques should be employed
when conducting a focus group?
Focus groups

What is a focus group? When would we want to use a focus group?


Focus Groups
• A small group of carefully selected individuals fitting certain demographics to explore qualitative research, primarily for
market research.
• An interview-based discussion group, conducted by a trained moderator among a small group of respondents.
• Conducted informally and naturally where respondents are free to give views from any aspect.
Step 1 - Plan topic and questions
Step 2 - Find participants
5 step stage
In groups, discuss each Step 3 - Running the group successfully
stage
Step 4 - Analysing your feedback
Step 5 - Validating your findings
Family
Inspiration:

What defines your family – is it direct


family, friends, religious, love, same
interests?

You could use the following as starting


points to provide some inspiration for your
ideas, (these are not the expectation of
outcomes):
• Your own experiences
• Other people’s experiences
• News events
• Religious celebrations
• people you spend time with
• Art or design work representing
different youth cultures
• Societies or clubs
Step 1 - Plan topic and questions
• What is your goal? Keep focused on the topic, do not overload with too much
• Aim is exploration and discovery
• Open ended questions - directing them e.g. ”How would you describe family?" ”What do you consider your family?"
”What experiences do you have beyond direct relatives that you consider family"
• Designate a note taker or record it, audio or video (this may make them less comfortable!)
Step 2 - Find participants
• Resemble your target audience, this is very important - right demographics!
• Around 6 participants, if too big limited responses for each, if too small not enough opinions.
• For today use your class peers.
Step 3 - Running the group – Good Practice
• Consent forms in advance
• Record with video or sound so that you can revisit it later
• The more comfortable they are the more honest they will be
• Start with an ice breaker- ask them to share something about themselves, this will add to getting to know your customers
• Questions - open up discussion - can ask follow up questions like “why do you think that is?
• If you feel the conversation is dying sown - move onto next question
• Make sure everyone in group has had a chance to speak!
• Make it light, relaxed and straight forward
Step 4 - Analysing your feedback
• You may have built up a general understanding of the main responses during the focus group but don’t just rely in this
• Review notes and re-watch recordings – look for reemerging themes and validate that your initial responses were correct
• This will give you a chance to check if the more assertive members of the group had guided the main response (others
not wanting to upset them) or if they didn’t have the majority opinion
Step 5 - Validating your findings
• Consider the relevance or your focus group - don’t throw all your eggs in one basket! Don't take the word from the
group as gospel – it’s a small sample! And may have a degree of error
• Observer bias - participants are aware that they are being observed and this will alter behavior- may be inclined to
agree with other people in order not to offend anyone – and the opposite being that it may lead to some having stronger
or controversial opinions.
• Double validate - test product small audience before commit to full plan or test with a survey of the main points
summarised from focus group to see if large numbers agree as a majority.
Let's give it a go
In groups of 6
Plan out your questions to gain information about peoples understanding and experiences of family,
also how they think photographic images could capture the essence of family.
Select a group leader to facilitate the focus group
Record the session to ensure everyone has access to notes
Results
Make notes from the focus group
Analyse your notes and explain how you can use your findings to develop ideas for your Family project

Upload your research findings to your family SWAY page


before next Monday

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