The Delta Media P.R. Clinic

Let’s be clear about focus groups

By Bernard Gauthier, MA

Depending on what you read, focus groups are either the quickest way to survey a large group or an unscientific substitute for hard, quantitative research. The truth, as is so often the case, lies somewhere in the middle.

Let’s start with what focus groups are not – quick, mini-surveys done in person. Focus groups involve too small a sample to be considered surveys. What’s more, participants are not randomly selected – they are carefully chosen for their profile and behaviour. Focus groups are not quantitative research, which is why reports from focus groups should never deal in numbers (i.e. “25% of members support the plan.”). If you want to know how many of your members support a new plan or what percentage of Canadians trusts a profession, you need to use quantitative methods like polling and surveys.

Focus group research is a form of qualitative research – a way to get deeper inside the hearts and minds of an audience to understand the range of opinion out there (how much do they like it or not) and the reasons behind opinions (is it the plan they don’t like, or is it the organization?).

Like any research method, of course, there are measures you must take to ensure the results are sound.

• Hire an objective professional to craft the moderator’s guide and moderate the groups. There are subtle ways to influence someone’s answer simply by the way you phrase questions and the order in which you ask them. There are also techniques to ask questions in a way that yields more insightful answers. A professional will ensure the guide and the groups themselves are neutral and effective.
• Always insist on more than one group. One or two strong personalities in a group can sway the other participants. Bad coffee or a broken projector can ruin the mood of a group. By hosting more than one group, you help ensure the picture you get is complete and unbiased.
• Find a neutral location. Your members and the public will feel more at ease outside of your offices and, ideally in a facility designed for focus group research.
• Aim for a homogeneous group. People are more at ease and more likely to open up when surrounded by people of similar age (i.e. teens versus adults), similar rank (i.e. doctors versus medical students) and similar levels of expertise (i.e. computer programmers versus occasional Web surfers). Create an environment in which all participants feel their opinion is valid and important.
• Think small. Focus groups with six or seven participants give everyone more chances to talk and reduce the anxiety many people feel over talking in front of a group.
• Ask interesting questions! Get beyond straightforward questions about how people feel. Probe participants’ deeper motivations and invite them to explore intriguing ideas or create their own. You’ll learn more and they’ll enjoy the groups more.

Used properly, focus groups are an excellent way to better understand an audience and to test ideas and messages before they hit the street.

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