Facilitating Focus Groups

Insert dateInsert presenters

Agenda

■ Introduction■ Agenda■ Purpose and Objectives■ What is a Focus Group?■ Preparation Activities■ Facilitation Activities■ Wrap-up Activities■ Conclusion

2

Purpose of this Brownbag

■ Provide best practices for facilitating focus groups, to ensure that your next focus group is productive and effective.

3

Learning Objectives

■ At the end of this brownbag, you will be able to: Explain what a focus group is Describe how to prepare for a focus

group Explain how to conduct a focus group Explain how to capture focus group

results

4

WHAT IS A FOCUS GROUP?Section 1:

Overview of a Focus Group

■Moderated discussion with 8 to 12 participants

■ Typically lasts 2 hours■ Covers a range of topics that are

decided beforehand■ Used to gather qualitative not

quantitative data

6

Overview of a Focus Group (cont.)

7

• Discuss purpose with client

• Perform existing materials review

• Develop session objectives, outcomes, and questions

Create Discussion

Guide

• Submit discussion guide for review

• Revise discussion guide if necessary

Receive Client

Approval• Provide

facilitator and recorder

• Stay on task via discussion guide

• Listen actively and capture group ideas

Conduct Focus Group

• Review notes• Identify themes,

trends, patterns, etc.

• Document findings and present to client

Report Findings

PREPARATION ACTIVITIESSection 2:

Preparing for the Session

■ Identify the key objectives

■ Inform yourself■ Plan logistics■ Invite the

participants

9

Developing the Discussion Guide

10

The Discussion Guide is reviewed and approved by all key stakeholders.

Immediately Before the Session

Roles and Responsibilities

■ Facilitator Keep discussion on

track Accomplish focus

group objectives

■ Recorder Capture major

comments/insights

12

Tip: If this is your project, you should attend as either the facilitator or the recorder—or as an observer.

What if you have to cover both roles?■ Good luck!■ Just kidding.

Ask your client to arrange a recorder if possible

Bring an audio recording device Make good use of the flip charts Review your notes immediately after the

session

13

Tools for Focus Groups

■ Whiteboard■ Flip charts■ Sticky notes or

blank sheets of paper

■ Recording devices (laptop, audio, video)

■ Projector■ Computer lab 14

FACILITATION ACTIVITIESSection 3:

Facilitating the Session

16

Debrief

Open Session

Ask clarifying questions

Capture responses

Summarize what you

heard

Ask baselin

e questio

n

Capture response

s1

2

3

Facilitating the Session (cont.)

17

Core Practices

Stay neutral

Ask Questions

Stay on Track

Summarize clearly

Collect Ideas

Listen actively

Synthesize Ideas

Paraphrase

Brainstorm Exercise

■What do I do if… Chatty Cathy won’t stop talking Timid Tracy won’t participate Goofy Gus is distracting participants Eager Ethan keeps interrupting others Nobody wants to share

18

WRAP-UP ACTIVITIESSection 4

Immediately After the Session

20

Press the flesh• Exchange business cards• Learn more

Debrief with co-facilitator• Constructive feedback• Group observations

Document• Review notes and fill in gaps• Identify main themes for session

Presenting the Results

■ Tie findings back to the overall objectives

■ Presentation format can be formal or informal

21

Focus Group

Results

Tip: Clarify client expectations during project initiation.

CONCLUSIONSection 5

Focus Groups vs. Meetings

Additional Resources

24

■ Bens, Ingrid. “Facilitation at a Glance! 2nd Edition.” www.amazon.com

■ Edmunds, Holly. “The Focus Group Research Handbook.” www.acornweb.org

■ Krotz, Joanna. “Dos and Don’ts for Using Marketing Focus Groups.”

■ http://www.usability.gov/methods/focusgroup.html

Any Questions?