Conducting focus groups pdf

Focus groups can be conducted in person or via teleconference. The material is laid out in a spacious format for easy scanning and uses a large font for easy reading. Steps for conducting focus groups or individual indepth interviews 1. What you want to learn when you need to have that information how youll apply what you learn your budget. Focus groups are an effective way to reach out to your potential audience so they can provide feedback and comments that help designers evaluate their projects andor test new ideas. Pdf guidelines for conducting focus groups researchgate. The moderators goal is to generate a maximum number of different ideas and opinions from as many different people in the time allotted. Standards, guidance and recommendations for the irish health and social care sector. Designing and conducting virtual focus groups casey sweet qualitative research has become one of the many beneficiaries of the electronic revolution and evolution, specifically in the development of online focus groups. Sometimes it takes listening to the opinions of others in a small and safe group setting before they form thoughts and opinions. Recording focus groups roles and responsibilities of note takers focus group note taking form. In addition to the moderator, it is good to have a second person in the room to take notes.

So, this way the meetings by the focus groups prove fruitful and productive. The opening is the time for the facilitator to welcome the group, introduce the purpose and context of the focus group, explain what a focus group is and how it will flow, and make the introductions. May 01, 2010 traditionally, focus groups have been conducted in person using the facetoface format. Conducting focus groups to develop a comprehensive school. Learn how to plan, prepare, conduct, and use focus group results to receive qualitative data for deeper understanding of community issues. Moderators are often the most visible members of the focus group project. Steps for conducting focus groups or individual indepth. The focus group moderator nurtures disclosure in an open and spontaneous format. The main purpose of focus group research is to draw upon respondents attitudes, feelings, beliefs. How to conduct a focus group the grantsmanship center. The landscape format is intended for images on the right as well as space for your notes.

Conducting focus groups with youth and teens this document outlines some best practices for conducting successful focus groups with your members. Here, youll learn how to conduct a focus group including what to include in the agenda, choosing the participants and whether you should hire a facilitator or moderator. Pdf conducting focus groups with child participants. A detailed practical guide to the procedures for planning, conducting and analysing focus groups is presented. 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. While it is ideal to conduct a focus group in person, it is possible to conduct a focus group by phone. When conducting focus groups by phone or web conference, the facilitator has to work to ensure that. Online focus groups are an extension of traditional focus groups, which have been utilized in qualitative research for decades and, for the most part, the principles are consistent with traditional focus groups. All these are discussed in the meeting and all the members put forth their concepts. Pdf conducting focus groups a guide for first time users. A practical guide to focusgroup research rosanna l. The sample for a focus group has individuals with characteristics of the overall population and can contribute to helping the research gain a greater understanding of the topic. Put your thoughts in writing bulleted outline welcome introduce moderator and assistant our topic is. How to conduct a focus group by judith sharken simon while focus groups are often seen as a technique reserved for corporations involved in expensive, competitive advertising, they can also be extremely useful for nonprofit organizations wishing to connect with their communities.

Focus groups are an effective means of collecting qualitative information that can be used to guide improvement planning and efforts. Plan the study plan your study with the input of your strategy team, stakeholders, and research experts so that collaboratively you determine. The rapidly increasing number of consumers and business professionals online has made it possible and important for this newer. In summary, it is a guide for planning, organizing, and managing focus groups. Conducting focus groups with children and young people. Conducting multiple focus groups may be effective for gathering feedback that is. The typical objective of a focus group is not consensus or debate, but rather to generate ideas and provide an opportunity for stakeholders to express feelings about a particular topic. The members of the focus groups discuss the ideas, the beliefs and the opinions of the product or the service, concepts, ideas, advertisement or the packaging. Guidance for conducting focus groups as discussed in community assessment and monitoring results and activities modules 4 and 8 focus groups are an information gathering tool which gathers opinions, perceptions, thoughts, evaluations, emotional responses, and feedback from organized groups of people regarding a particular issue. Basics of conducting focus groups written by carter mcnamara, phd focus groups are a powerful means to evaluate services or test new ideas. Typically they start with introductions of each member and an overview of the topic and a statement of purpose of the group. How to conduct focus groups interaction design foundation. Introduction to conducting focus groups noaa office for.

In this activity students are introduced to the purpose of a focus group and general tips for conducting them so they can use the feedback to inform and improve. Guide and template for conducting diversity planning focus groups. A focus group is a good tool to use, because a focus group requires a relatively small portion of time from a much smaller number of people than is the case with many other social science methods. Conducting focus groups is easyish as long as you have a good moderator and observers. Basics of conducting focus groups national alliance for. Toolkit for conducting focus groups this manual has been provided to assist you in conducting focus groups. Two approaches to focus group data collection for qualitative. Focus groups can tell you how a new tactic or project has been implemented and why it did or didnt work. Conducting a focus group is quite a task that requires excellent people management skills. Tips for conducting a focus group rand corporation.

Focus groups require considerable preparation and skill to run. There are many details to consider when planning an assessment project utilizing focus groups such as developing the questions, sampling, recruiting and preparing for the participants, conducting the focus group sessions, and analysis. This methodology brief outlines a fivestage process for conducting focus groups and reporting on the results. In your ongoing effort to continuously improve the club for your members, you may occasionally want to solicit feedback in a group setting. Focus groups provide the opportunity to receive multiple opinions in a shorter timeframe. Abstract focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative.

Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focusgroup research investigations into students learning experiences. The unit or department at the university of arizona is conducting a program assessment under the supervision of insert responsible party, director, etc. The purpose of the study is to examine insert topic of study. Guidelines for conducting a focus group the university of. Topics covered in this publication include focus group basics, preparing for the focus group, developing effective questions, planning the focus group. This paper describes briefly the characteristics of focus groups before focusing exclusively on the methodological and practical concerns when conducting focus groups with children and young people. Focus groups are most useful when you need to delve deeply into focused topics. The purpose of the focus groups is to gain specific and reliable information on the risks and needs of the returning prisoners in the community name community. Study purpose methodology conceptualization logistics facilitation preparation presession session analysis reporting using this fivestage process as a guide will contribute to the completion of an. The tips below can help you make focus groups as effective as possible. Qualities of an effective focus group facilitator 11.

Focus group interviewing richard krueger 3 first steps with focus group studies 1. Advantages of focus groups focus groups allow you to gather qualitative data on multiple topics drawn from multiple people over a short period of time. Focus groups generally utilize convenience sampling. They are relatively expensive to conduct because of the number of participants involved and will generally be used to deal with major usability or user experience issues for large groups of users. Successful focus groups are truly a team effort and according to focus group expert david morgan, any weak link in the chain can ruin the entire project. Ten top tips for great focus groups theres no doubt that great focus groups require meticulous planning. My top ten tips below cant guarantee great groups on their own, but they will go a long way to address common pitfalls such as. Focus groups community tool box the university of kansas. Topics covered in this publication include focus group basics, preparing for the focus group, developing effective questions, planning the focus group session and analyzing the data. The information we gleaned from these focus groups was beyond our expectations. This document is designed to give you a basic understanding of how to conduct a focus group. This document is for people who have no prior experience with conducting focus groups but who would like to gain a basic understanding of best practices.

Conducting an online focus group by jeanine stancanelli. Consider this manual a toolkit that will facilitate your training and enhance your facilitation skills. The project team, also referred to as the research team, is critical to the outcome of the focus group project. A focus group is most effective with 712 participants. Introduction to conducting focus groups, by noaa coastal services center, is a comprehensive introduction to key elements and practices that will increase the success of a focus group effort. Guidelines for conducting focus groups the guidelines below are based on the combined recommendations of beyea, mcnamara, meyer, nicoll and sharkensimon cited on the reference page. Introduction to conducting focus groups office for coastal. Conducting these focus groups was far easier than expected and we were surprised as to how willing to help and how open everyone was. Sep 20, 2019 focus groups are useful tools that require only a small number of participants when compared to many other social science methods. The question section is where you ask the questions that you designed and tested in step 4 3. In a brief time the moderator must create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere, provide ground rules. This article discusses four challenges to conducting qualitative focus groups. Before conducting a focus group, the following steps should be completed. A focus group is a method of qualitative data collection.

However, improvements in technology have resulted in the emergence of the online focus groups. One can get a great deal of information during a focus group session. Communicate how information obtained during the focus groupcommunity discussion will be used. Thank you for agreeing to conduct a focus group on behalf of the. Your role as a focus group facilitator is very important. This publication, introduction to conducting focus groups, is. Develop a clear and concise purpose statement of what needs to be known and why.

Guidelines for conducting a focus group surveys assume that people know how they feel. Just as important for the budgetwise nonprofit, focus groups. 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. Focus groups tend to be about one and half hours no more than two. A focus group is usually conducted with 810 participants who are connected with the school and have information about what is happening there. Evaluation briefs no centers for disease control and.

Web conferencing is an additional technology that can be used for focus groups. After all, club members are the experts when it comes to. Within this small group environment, it is possible to obtain a great deal of information in a short period of time. The ideal amount of time to set aside for a focus group is anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. Basically, focus groups are interviews, but of 610 people at the same time in the same group. These are often referred to as focus group discussions fgds. Guide and template for conducting diversity planning focus groups moderators conducting focus group. The first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. Conducting effective focus groups which successfully capture childrens voices can be supported by encompassing the advice of those with specialist expertise.