10 tips for running successful focus groups

by Thomas L. Greenbaum

How often do we researchers take time to reflect on our work and identify the key lessons
that might be useful to others in the profession or considering entering it?

I have spent most of the last 15 years moderating focus groups on a wide variety of topics for
more than 300 different organizations. As a result, I have learned some important lessons
about focus groups that I want to share:

1. You never can do too much planning for a focus group.

The effort put into advanced planning for a group always pays out in terms of the
overall quality of the output from the process. This includes such things as the most
appropriate recruitment parameters, the content and flow of the discussion guide and
the "external stimuli" that are used to elicit reactions from the participants.

2. Manage the recruitment process actively to be sure to get the right people in the
groups.

Despite the good intentions of recruitment organizations throughout the country, the
moderator has the ultimate responsibility for the quality of the respondents.

Because the quality of the output from focus groups depends on having the right
people in the room, I decided years ago to invest in a full-time field professional to
focus on this aspect. This enables me to concentrate on the actual focus group
process, including developing the moderator guide, moderating groups and writing
effective reports.

3. Don’t prejudge the participants based on physical appearance.

I have found that the appearance of the people in the groups generally has little
relationship to how effective they can be as participants. Further, a participant’s not
having a great deal of formal education does not mean he or she does not have a great
deal to say about a key topic being evaluated.

Clearly it is easier to conduct and watch focus groups comprised of attractive,

articulate, educated people. But it is vital to realize that these characteristics are not
necessarily critical to gathering useful information.

4. The best focus group moderators bring objectivity and expertise in the process to a
project.

Specific product knowledge should not be an important criteria in selecting a

moderator because a well-trained professional will take the time needed to learn
enough about the topic being discussed to be an effective facilitator.

An effective moderator must be able to draw people out in a group environment,

 listen well, interpret the results of the sessions and communicate those results
effectively to the clients.

5. Achieving research objectives does not guarantee a successful focus group project.

Some clients only view groups that educate and entertain as an effective research
tool. Others have different research objectives that must be accommodated before
they will feel the process was a success. These could include such things as the decor
and comfort of the focus group facilities and the presentation of personally selected
gourmet food for the client observers.

An effective moderator must be aware of these factors to have a satisfied client who
will return.

6. The moderator and the client should coordinate their efforts at all stages of the
process for the research to achieve its objectives.

For the moderator, this includes obtaining client input to the discussion guide and
working with client organizations to develop the most effective external stimuli.

It also means regular communication between the moderator and the client observers
who are watching a group from behind the one-way mirror. This should take the form
of face-to-face discussions at regular intervals during the group, rather than random
notes being sent into the room at the whim of a backroom observer.

Client observers need to be briefed about the most effective way to work with the
moderator so that during the focus group session, minimal time is spent
communicating the maximum amount of information.

7. Most client organizations conduct more focus groups than are necessary to achieve
the research objectives.

It is not unusual for an organization to do eight, 10 or 12 groups in a series when four

or six would be adequate.

There is no sure way to determine the optimal number of groups in a research

program, but I generally find relatively few differences by geographic area.

So, I encourage clients to conduct as few sessions as makes them comfortable, with
the caveat that it is always possible to conduct more if necessary.

8. One of the most important services a moderator can provide is a fast report
turnaround.

Because of the subjective nature of focus groups, it is common for different client
observers to leave with different interpretations of the most important information
that emerged.

By giving the client organization a full report within three to five days after the
 group, the people who attended the sessions quickly gain the benefit of the
moderator’s perspective so they can identify what they do and do not agree with.

In addition, each of the observers can use the moderator’s report to determine the
common areas of agreement and disagreement. This is particularly important, as the
ultimate findings and conclusions from the research will be distributed throughout
the organization.

9. Client observers should be thoroughly briefed about the research objectives before
the sessions start.

Although most people who observe focus groups understand the process and have
watched focus groups from behind the one-way mirror before, it helps to review the
goals of the sessions beforehand to ensure that all the observers are in sync with the
objectives and the desired output.

This can help you avoid embarrassing last-minute surprises.

10. The most valuable service a moderator can provide is objective conclusions based
on the interpretation of the research, without regard for what the client wants to hear.

It is easier to give clients good news that confirms their beliefs, but it is a mistake to try to
sugarcoat conclusions so the client is not disturbed with the outcome of the groups. A
qualitative research consultant must offer clients total objectively and honesty in order to
provide the expected quality of service and professionalism.

This is one of the most important things a moderator can do for the client. It’s probably the
only one in which the moderator has a unique position because the client personnel who
attended the sessions have their own internal agendas for the research that affects their
interpretation of the research results.
Focus group
Au début du projet, le focus group permet de cibler le produit et de mieux comprendre les
attentes des utilisateurs.

Focus group
Le focus group permet de mieux comprendre les mécanismes inhérent à l'image
du produit. Conduit par un ergonome, il fournit des pistes concrètes de conception
de l'interface.

Animation des focus groups

Un panel utilisateur est constitué selon le profil des consommateurs visés. Un consultant
ergonome anime plusieurs focus groups sur différents thèmes définis au préalable avec le
responsable du projet.

Les participants se prononcent ouvertement sur des nouveaux concepts ou des produits
existants.

Les participants sont enregistrés. Les données recueillies sont mises à disposition, assemblées
puis synthétisées dans un rapport.

Planning
5 - 10 jours

Synthèse des focus groups

Les résultats sont présentés sous forme de recommandations pratiques illustrées par des extraits
vidéo montrant les réactions les plus significatives des utilisateurs.

Le rapport présente en détails les attentes et les besoins exprimés par les utilisateurs finaux. Il
dégage des informations et notions clés associées au produit. Les attentes sont segmentées et
priorisées selon les principales thématiques de l’application.

Le rapport comporte une synthèse qui présente les principales conclusions du focus group à
l'attention des responsables du projet. Les résultats sont synthétisés et priorisés au regard de leur
impact sur l’acceptation du produit.

Les résultats du focus group sont présentés à l’équipe projet et analysés en commun à l’issue de
l’intervention.