These proposed approaches to focus group data collection yielded strong participation rates, rich qualitative data, and cost savings. Focus groups originated in sociology merton and kendall 1946 were. If youve ever participated in a wellrun focus group youd probably say it felt very natural and comfortable to be talking with a group of strangers. Focus group interview is one of the valuable tools for collecting qualitative data. You should make an effort to engage everyone in the group when you are asking or answering questions. This brief includes a basic overview of focus groups. My interest in the focus group interview as a research method can be traced. Following are the main advantages of focus group discussion in research.
A focus group interview has several important features. Jan 15, 2018 just like with any other type of interview, focus group interviews utilize an interview protocol. Indepth interview participants have the undivided attention of the interviewer, and subject matters can be explored in more detail. Th e course does not aim to cover all the aspects of interviewing and focus groups, but rather it is designed to provide an overview of these methods, as well as some practical tools. Complex subject matter and knowledgeable respondents. The focus groups are the groups of intellectuals, professionals who come together to form an opinion for the new product in the company. The unit or department at the university of arizona is conducting a program assessment under the supervision of insert responsible party, director, etc. Guiding conversations practice interview focus group complex subject matter and knowledgeable respondents, promote discussion between participants on a specific topic when interviewing one person at.
Pulling together a focus group is more than just asking random people to come sit in a room for a few hours and answer questions. Questions are asked in an informal group setting where participants are free to talk with other group. Marketing firms use focus groups to determ i n e how customers respond to new pro d u c t s. S u r vey designers use focus groups to pre t e s t their ideas and to interpret the quantitative i n f o r mation obtained from interv i e w i n g. Data is collected through a semistructured group interview process.
Bryman 16,17,18,19 qualitative research focus group. We conducted the postimplementation focus groups and dyad interview via telehealth videoconferencing. Focus group research focus group in qualitative research. Focus groups qualitative research guidelines project. An individual interview is usually around 4560 minutes. Online focus groups and qualitative research in the social. The interviews are conducted in form of a panel and group discussions are held. Focus groups have advantages for researchers in the field of health and medicine. Focus group interviews are interviews you conduct with a group of participants to collect a variety of information. By definition, the qualitative research is designed to investigate the quality of. A moderator must be identified who is familiar and comfortable with the group process and one who can keep the participants on target. A focus group discussion is a qualitative data collection method that engages 6 to 12 peoplewith shared characteristics pertinent to the specific discussion topicand is led by a trained facilitator. Focus groups authored by david mchugh distinctions between focus group and group interview techniques focus groups typically emphasize a specific theme or topic that is explored in depth, whereas group interviews often span very widely group interviews, unlike focus groups, are often carried out to save time and money by carrying out interviews.
Combining individual interviews and focus groups to enhance. Abstract focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative. This paper introduces focus group methodology, gives advice on group composition, running the groups, and analysing the results. We collected the postimplementation data from five focus groups and one dyad interview at the five eds 612 months postimplementation of the cp. Public agencies find focus groups an import a n t tool in improving customer serv i c e. Engaging in this type of research, from an irb perspective, requires certain considerations and safeguards to protect participants. This paper explores the most common methods of data collection used in qualitative research. The moderator raises issues identified in a discussion guide and uses probing questions to solicit opinions. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an in. Focus group instructional guidelines from an irb perspective. It typically consists of a facilitator who runs the group, sometimes a cofacilitator or note taker, and 6 to 10 participants.
How some authors have defined focus groups or the focus group interview morgan. This publication, introduction to conducting focus groups, is the fifth in a series of guides developed to bring information to this audience about the use of social science tools in their field of work. This dynamism allows better results in terms of information derived by a focus group. The focus group interview process involves a tremendous amount of planning prior to the facetoface contact with the group participants, but actually conducting the focus interviews is the key part of the process. It enables indepth discussions and involves a relatively small number of people. Planning the focus group process the first step in conducting a focus group interview is to determine the purpose of the study and whom should be studied. Th ese techniques are commonly used in policy research and are applicable to many research questions. The paper examines each method in detail, focusing on how they work in. Questions should be carefully planned but appear spontaneous during the interview. The purpose of the study is to examine insert topic of study. Mar 22, 2008 this paper explores the most common methods of data collection used in qualitative research. Participant demographics for the postimplementation focus groups are described in table 5.
Focus group interview definition marketing dictionary. Focus groups overview the focus group is an exploratory research method used to help researchers gather in. Sometimes it takes listening to the opinions of others in a small and safe group setting before they form thoughts and opinions. Some organisations use the demographic categories length of service in the organisation, department, etc that appear within the analysis tool or other surveys, to invite the different groups to attend the focus groups. Expressions other than those in verbal form such as gestures and stimulated activities can provide researcher with useful insights. Focus groups can be integrated into an overall study design or can occur individually when a specific topic is being explored. A focus group usually gather around 8 participants for 2 hours. The focus group is the collaboration of people who come together to make an opinion, put forth their belief and perspective for the product or service initiate, in the company. The environment is interactive where the participants are free to discuss with each other. One person is the facilitator and the other is the note taker. Focus group interviews for qualitative research flashcards.
Jan 11, 2018 focus group discussion can be utilised within a suite of techniques in a multi. A focus group is a small, but demographically diverse group of people and whose reactions are studied especially in market research or political analysis in guided or open discussions about a new product or something else to determine the reactions that can be expected from a larger population. These interviews can be as small as four participants and sometimes as large as ten, but i would recommend keeping a focus group interview between four and eight participants. They are a very common technique but are can be poorly executed unless well planned and facilitated. The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population. Sound conversational use words participants would use are easy to understand are clear are short. Use of focus groups association of leadership educators. One aspect that is often overlooked is the speaking times differences between focus groups and interviews. The interview guide sets the agenda for the focus group discussion by establishing the. The disadvantages of using focus group discussion are as follows. Wherever possible, there should be a focus group team. It is important to have a note taker to record the focus group feedback. Others have chosen to run focus groups for departments or groups where hot spots have.
Focus groups are similar to, but should not be confused with indepth interviews. Focus group is a type of indepth interview accomplished in a group, whose meetings present characteristics defined with respect to the proposal, size, composition, and interview procedures. The interview results in a wealth of data that can be applied in many different ways. Guidelines for conducting a focus group surveys assume that people know how they feel. Focus group and interview participants social research. A focus group discussion involves gathering people from similar backgrounds or experiences together to discuss a specific topic of interest. Pdf self reflection of focus groups as an appropriate. The two approaches to focus group data collection have methodological contribution to the current evidence base of focus groups in qualitative health services research. A focus group interview is a data collection technique in which a small group of people, usually between six and twelve individuals, is guided by a moderator to discuss specific topics in a structured way. Focus group and interview participants social research centre. With the logistics completed, the research team can prepare for the focus group. A wellorganized study first seeks to understand what, precisely, the client is hoping to achieve in its market testing. Focus groups is type of group interview designed to explore peoples attitudes.
Focus groups were originally called focused interviews or group depth interviews. The clients and moderator develop this guide together. In a brief time the moderator must create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere, provide ground rules, and set the tone of the discussion. A focus group discussion or fgd is a qualitative research method in the social sciences, with a particular emphasis and application in the developmental program evaluation sphere. Basically, focus groups are interviews, but of 610 people at the same time in the same group. Two approaches to focus group data collection for qualitative. A focus group is a focused discussion group that follows a structured questioning. The difference for the focus group interview protocol is that, while qualitative researchers will often create a list of questions and continue moving down the line, focus group interviews utilize what are known as prompts. Mar 16, 2020 a focus group interview is a method of research involving a small group of people who are interviewed on a subject of interest to the researcher. What are focus group interviews and why should i conduct.
Throughout this reflection, i will be referencing my own experience of conducting a focus group session within a group project and discussing the literature that grounded my. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It is a form of qualitative research where questions are asked about their perceptions attitudes, beliefs, opinion or ideas. The moderator asks broad questions to elicit responses and generate discussion among. Nov 23, 2010 today, more and more people using focus groups and group interviews as a powerful tool to gather information, test new ideas and evaluate services.
Name of method focused semistructured interviews brief outline of method this technique is used to collect qualitative data by setting up a situation the interview that allows a respondent the time and scope to talk about their opinions on a particular subject. Paul lazarsfeld and others later introduced this technique in marketing morgan, 1988. Dont show surprise or annoyance when faced with a group interview. Online focus groups and qualitative research in the social sciences. Focus group is defined as a small group of carefully selected participants who contribute in open discussions for research about a new product or a feature update or any other topic to generalize the results from this concentrated discussion to the entire population. In focus group discussion participants are free to. Focus groups are a form of qualitative research that is commonly used in product marketing and marketing research, but it is a popular method within sociology as well. Start studying focus group interviews for qualitative research. It can be used to find out what issues are of most concern for a community or group when little or no information is available.
Methods of data collection in qualitative research. Before launching into sections on how to set up focus groups, designing the focus group interview schedule, overcoming ethical issues, conducting the pilot study and analysing focus group data, it is advisable to start by working through the decisionmaking process that determines the appropriateness of the adoption of a focus group methodology. Focus group methods emerged in the 1940s with the work of merton and fiske who used focus groups to conduct audience. During a focus group, a group of individualsusually 612 peopleis brought together in a room to engage in a. Focus group definition is a small group of people whose response to something such as a new product or a politicians image is studied to determine the response that can be expected from a larger population. I will evaluate the effectiveness of focus groups as a research method. Focus group interview as a tool for qualitative research. Focus groups are generally used to collect data on a specific topic.
The focus groups are a kind of interview conducted by the experienced and professional moderators among the groups of participants and the respondents. Interaction is a unique feature of the focus group interview. Coworkers and friends are more comfortable in voicing views in each others company than on their own with the researcher. The focus group interview and other kinds of group activities. This paper uses the definition of focus group as a controlled group discussion, on the basis that the group interaction generated through discussion is of prior importance to this. Sometimes researchers decide to go with an indepth interview because its easier to recruit participants to commit to an interview rather than a focus group. For best results, a focus group session should include around five or six questions. Divide 2 hours 120 minutes by 8 and you obtain 15 minutes speaking time per participant in a focus group vs. It is focused on a specific area of interest that allows participants to discuss the topic in greater detail. It is an inexpensive and fast method of acquiring valuable data. Pdf focus group interview and data analysis researchgate. Barbour 1999, it is possible to establish a working definition. A focus group is an interview, conducted by a trained moderator among a small group of respondents. The moderator uses a discussion guide that has been.
It is conducted in the presence of a moderator who will ensure the results are. Generate and pretest an interview guide the interview guide sets the agenda for the focus group discussion by establishing the research questions to be addressed in the focus group. A microanalysis of the information that emerges from the study is not as easy to achieve through focus group methods. What you didnt know perhaps were the many hidden structures behind it all. Best practices in research evaluation what is a focus group. The shared characteristics may relate to a particular problem, livelihoods occupation, age, social group, place of residence, experience of. How to conduct a successful focus group discussion atlan. Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus group research. Focus group is a type of indepth interview accomplished in a group, whose meetings present characteristics defined with respect to the proposal, size.
Fgds are a predetermined semistructured interview led by a skilled moderator. My own preference morgan, 1996 is for a more inclusive approach that broadly defines focus groups as a research technique that collects data through group interaction on a topic determined by the researcher. The process begins with identifying the main aim and defining the. The discussions on the important topic are done by the experts in the focus groups. This paper uses the definition of focus group as a controlled group discussion, on the basis that the group interaction generated through discussion is of prior importance to this methodology. Focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method kitzinger 1995. Focus group interview is a tool for qualitative market research where a group of people are selected and asked about their opinion or perceptions about a particular topic. Focus group interviews are a qualitative research method that consist of a carefully designed. When focus group participants are genuinely engaged in the study and the moderator is sufficiently skillful, the outcome can be clarity about major themes. The interview is conducted informally and naturally where respondents are free to give views from any aspect. Dvhsc conducted 12 countywide focus groups in 2017. Pdf in recent years focusgroup interviews, as a means of qualitative data collection. A practical guide to focusgroup research rosanna l. Advantages and disadvantages of focus groups in research.