They involve a group discussion led by a moderator or facilitator who guides the dialogue. The moderator typically uses a guide to help section out the discussion. This usually includes an introduction, warm-up, and several other sections. Here are 4 tips to help moderate a focus group discussion. The optimal length of a focus group is a frequent question in market research.
The majority of focus groups you encounter last between minutes and minutes 2-hours. There are several advantages and disadvantages to shorter and longer focus groups. This piece will cover some of the highlights to help you make a choice on the best length for a a focus group. It is highly dependent on your needs and objectives. Searching for the best length for a focus group? You've come to the right market research website.
Here we cover the pros and cons to shorter and longer focus groups. The biggest advantage of running short focus groups of minutes each is you are able to host several groups in one evening or 1-day.
With longer sessions you may only be able to host 2 sessions whereas you can host 4 in the same timeframe with shorter groups. The group may not run this long, this is just in anticipation that it could last this long and they want participants to plan accordingly.
Also depending on how in depth the conversation, if participants agree to stay, the group may extend further than the allotted time. The second way to recruit is to use a database that local recruitment facilities have developed over time. These are people who have agreed in advance to participate in focus groups if they qualify, based on the specifications. The recruitment organizations maintain these lists in their computers and call on them when needed for participants in studies.
The third, and least desirable way, is to advertise for participants in local newspapers, on the radio or at high traffic shopping locations. This is generally used only when the other two methods are unable to locate sufficient numbers of qualified participants. Why do people participate in Focus Groups?
Many people feel that since they themselves would not go to a Focus Group that others like them would not attend these sessions either. There are three main reasons why people come to Focus Groups. One reason is to earn extra money; participants are paid. The amount they are paid depends on the type of group they are in and the difficulty associated with recruiting them.
Another reason to attend Focus Groups is because people like to give their opinions about various topics; they find it interesting meeting and chatting with their peers about subjects of interest. For many it also is a break in their routine and a fun way to spend an evening.
A third reason people attend focus groups is to learn about the research technique or the topic being discussed. Often focus groups can be very helpful to people who are seeking additional information about a subject.
They can talk with others about various aspects of the subject, gathering much useful information. Many business and medical professionals attend focus groups to help them keep up with new developments in their field; often the groups will address topics that represent new products or services which will be introduced in the future. Can Focus Group results be considered representative? The objective of Focus Group research is to generate qualitative and not quantitative data. Therefore, while we try and obtain the best and most representative sample possible, it is not absolutely necessary in order to gather useful information.
Group dynamics are a funny phenomenon. In focus groups especially, the moderator must be hyper vigilant to ensure that each voice is heard. It can be common for some participants to be more vocal than others, and it is essential to keep this in check. Alternatively, it is not always necessary for every participant to elicit a response to every question. Participants are the experts—and understanding their vantage points is imperative.
Create conditions that make them feel empowered. Spend time building rapport with each participant to enhance comfort and ease. Their perspective is the hero. Highly skilled moderators have the ability to effortlessly guide the group, often through body language and even without words. Eye contact matters. You set a prototype on the table in front of the participants—while tempting to ask for specific product chan ges, remember that research participants are not product designers.
Ins tead, focus on understanding their underlying needs, motivations and desired experiences.
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