Conducting a Focus Group

1. Conducting a Focus Group Presented to the Environmental Strategies Task Force at UNO October 20, 2006 Birud Sindhav Associate Professor of Marketing College of Business Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha Omaha, NE 68182

4. Focus Group Basics • 6-12 participants and a moderator • Roundtable • One-way mirror, client viewing room • Audio-Video recording • Discussion Guide • Strength: Energy generated by participants feeding off of each other’s comments • Emergent themes • “Swiss Army Knife”

5. Moderator’s Role • You are there to moderate, not to guide! • Make sure no one dominates • Ask interrupters: “hold your thoughts for a moment” • “The jumbled conversation will be difficult to hear on the tape” • Gently nudge those who are silent for participation. Read their body language • (After watching Bob sharking his head in disbelief or seeing that he is gently smiling) “Bob, you seem to disagree with Jeff’s comment. Could you tell us why?” • Keep discussion focused on the topic, yet, preserve its spontaneous nature

6. Introduction: Let them know at the outset that… • the aim is not to find out how much they know about the topic, rather, to find out their POBA (Perceptions, Opinions, Beliefs, Attitudes) • People have different views • Respect other’s opinion and do express your own • Need honest opinions rather than bland positive comments • No right or wrong answers • Do not cut others off • Confidentiality concerns

7. Moderator’s Goals • Produce Informality • Produce Participation • Produce Opinions

8. Moderator’s Goals: Produce Informality • Go around the table, let them introduce themselves • Use informal words • Use “oh” to acknowledge what you heard. Use idiomatic and slang terms • Example: • “The objective of today’s focus group is to discuss how we can go about increasing diversity on campus” Versus • “We will chat about how to have more minority students on campus”

9. Moderator’s Goals: Produce Informality • Be Informal at the very outset • “I will be pestering the living daylights out of you” • Include pauses and hesitations • Body language of the moderator • Snapping fingers, waving hands • Provide food/drinks (to be consumed during conversation) • Display warmth and empathy, laugh with the participants!

10. Moderator’s Goals: Produce Participation • Ask questions requiring elaboration at the start of the new topic • Rephrase what they said to make sure you understand them and to demonstrate your interest

11. Moderator’s Goals: Produce Opinions • Do a quick poll • Ask them to cast a vote • Ask them to rank • Ask them “What if” questions • If need be, take a brief break

12. Moderator’s Goals: Produce Opinions • When the talk is slow moving and involvement level is low, ask for evaluations: “What do you think about the UNO policy of not accepting the core courses if done at Bellevue University”? • If you want to slow down the discussion, ask for descriptions. • If participants seem hesitant, ask projective questions: “What if a business etiquette class is mandatory at the business school?” • If the discussion is drifting in an unwanted direction, use mms, laugh, ask new question, ask question to a new person

13. Note Taking • Reproduce a sitting chart with names • Contains quotes, paraphrased quotes, summary points, themes, questions, big ideas that affect the study, observation on body language • Test the recording equipment beforehand. Keep extra tapes, microphones, batteries, and extension cord handy.

14. Standardized Report Taking Form • Date: • Location: • Names, and Category of Participants • Moderator Name • Comments and Observations • Notable Quotes • Summary and Key Points