How do I Moderate Focus Groups and Their Advantages?

Focus groups work best when the participants are sitting in a circle.

Focus groups are used for a multitude of reasons. It's an opportunity for a group of individuals to get together in a controlled atmosphere so they can share their thoughts, feelings, attitudes and opinions about a particular subject or item. Groups are organized and usually recorded, so that the audio recordings can be transcribed and used for reference at a later date.

Groups Should Be Well Organized

The size of the group will be determined by you; however, most groups consist of six to eight participants. You will pre-determine the age and sex of the invited participants based on your needs and focus. An agenda should be prepared before the group begins and should specifically outline key points that will be discussed during the focus group. The room should be quiet and participants should be able to sit in a circle -- either in chairs arranged in a circle in the middle of the room or with the participants sitting around a table so everyone can see each other.

Making Participants Feel Comfortable

Participants will have likely never met before the focus group, so it's important that everyone is introduced and feels comfortable. This is essential to guarantee the participants open up and can share their thoughts and opinions with a group of strangers. Encourage free-flowing discussion and plan for short breaks, especially if participants seem to be having difficulty staying focused on the group activities. Begin with a strong issue that most participants should be familiar with. Speak in layman's terms, avoiding use of complicated words; everyone in the group should be able to follow what you're saying. Keep the session on track. As the moderator, you must be able to step in and regain control of the group if they get off topic.

Obtaining Data

One clear advantage of a focus group is the ability to obtain clear and concise data. Under the right circumstances, a study which includes focus groups may help getting financial support for a business or product or provide important data for a health or psychological research study. It can also be a method of obtaining data from adults and children who have a low literacy level that would otherwise be left out of the study.

Inexpensive and Simple

Focus groups are inexpensive and simple to put together. Depending on the focus of the material, the only tool you need is empty space and a sitting room. You may need data sheets or blank forms for the participants to fill out or take notes on, which can easily be created with your computer and word processing software. Many people are willing to provide their input without expecting anything in return if the group is focusing on an issue that's important to them, such as health or political issues.

Focus Groups Allow People To Broaden Their Ideas

Because many people have new thoughts when in a discussion with more than one person, a focus group can help people broaden or expand their ideas. This may not occur between two individuals talking or if the person was having private thoughts of their own. Focus groups can allow participants to build on one another's ideas.

References

• Webcredible; Focus Groups - How To Run Them; June 2006