Refreshing Research

5 More Focus Group Tips

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To conclude our tips for conducting better focus groups, here are five more things to remember:

1. Over-recruit: Always recruit 12 to 13 respondents to achieve a focus group of 8.  You’ll have to pay everyone who shows up and turn some people away, but it is much better than being left short-handed.
2. Use 8 to 10 respondents: Even if you have all 12 or 13 recruits show up, don’t be tempted to use them all in a group. Groups of more than 10 people become a lot harder to manage which dilutes the data – you tend to spend more time managing the group than actually asking questions.  We always limit ours to 8.
3. Record everything: If you’re moderating, then you probably aren’t taking notes (in fact, we’d recommend solely concentrating on managing the group).  Record everything to video so you can review and take notes at a later date.
4. Use team analysis: If you have the staff to spare, get as many to review the groups as possible.  Discuss your findings after the review – extra input can take analysis to the next level.  If you can, have a member of staff take notes during the groups – this aids in analysis.
5. Be ruthless: An hour and a half can go by very quickly, and you want to make sure that you have all the data you need.  If respondents are going off-topic, kindly let them know.  If one respondent is talking too much, politely tell them that you would like to give others the opportunity to speak.  If a respondent is being disruptive, rude or uncooperative, kindly ask them to leave.  Our policy is that during the groups respondents are working for us and are there to talk about the topics we’re paying them for.

By following the tips above and here, you will be running great focus groups in no time.  Of course, to run really magnificent focus groups, contact us.