A focus group refers to a qualitative research technique used by researchers.
Focus group methodology is a good technique to explore ways of conducting a research, but it may not be helpful when the right questions are not asked or when the facilitator of the group does not perform his/her role efficiently.
Focus group is a very important requirement to generate the necessary information.
Select appropriate people with the necessary knowledge and experience in the topic.
Then select a moderator who is skillful to steer the discussion in the right direction. The moderator nurtures disclosure in an open and spontaneous format. The moderator’s goal is to generate a maximum number of different ideas and opinions from as many different people in the time allotted.
Focus group creates an accepting environment that puts participants at ease allowing them to thoughtfully answer questions in their own words and add meaning to their answers. Surveys are good for collecting information about people’s attributes and attitudes but if you need to understand things at a deeper level then use a focus group.
Focus group is a very important requirement to generate the necessary information.
Select appropriate people with the necessary knowledge and experience in the topic.
Then select a moderator who is skillful to steer the discussion in the right direction. The moderator nurtures disclosure in an open and spontaneous format. The moderator’s goal is to generate a maximum number of different ideas and opinions from as many different people in the time allotted.
Focus group creates an accepting environment that puts participants at ease allowing them to thoughtfully answer questions in their own words and add meaning to their answers. Surveys are good for collecting information about people’s attributes and attitudes but if you need to understand things at a deeper level then use a focus group.
Focus groups offer the best chance (at access to) expertise and/or specialisation!
Period!
Focus groups are good at generating discussion. They should not be used to determine population characteristics. They do not generate definitive answers but are exceptionally good at generating insight that grows from a well selected group of participants. It is important to remember that group dynamics will effect the groups performance.
A focus group is very effective for specific topic to obtain in depth information at the same time .The researcher can study the phenomenon with a qualitative data that guide the study. This depends upon the nature of the study.
The focus group is one of the best data collection tools available to top managers. The interaction in a group setting can yield rich information that provides a thorough understanding of issues and serves as a basis for action planning. There are key steps toward a successful focus group. These are:
• Select participants according to the subject to be discussed.
• Create the best possible atmosphere for the discussion.
• Develop a clear and concise purpose statement.
• Devote sufficient attention prior to the session to designing specific questions.
• Practice the key tasks of effective facilitation.
• Communicate and follow the rules.
• Use an opening activity to generate participation and focus thoughts on the topic.
• Allow for individual reflection prior to group discussion.
• Select a good moderator or facilitator.
Dear @Mahfuz, The research of the focus groups is interactive and, therefore, it is totally dependent on the performance and effectiveness of the facilitator.
The answers above are great and focus groups are great but they have to be used with caution, as I already said. They rest on using a good moderator and getting the right respondents. But, even when these criteria are met you assume that the respondents are representative of some form of exemplary opinion that is the best available for the topic you are discussing and that the respondents actually know the answers to your question. Focus groups are great, but as with all research methods they have limitations.
Dear Mahfuz, It is useful tool for gathering insight from active participants or stakeholders. We should avoid any participant to dominate the group discussion process.
The hardest job is the task of the moderator or facilitator. He must keep the technical and psychological overview even if discussing complexe issues.
The hardest job is to recognise and stay within the limitations of your data!
@Paul, your statement is true. To respect the limits of data and the discussion round is also "hard job".
The focus group is one of the best data collection tools . The interaction of employees in a group setting can yield rich information that provides a thorough understanding of issues and serves as a basis for action planning. The discussion below will focus on two important keys to conducting effective focus groups: adequate preparation prior to the session and effective facilitation.
Dear Mahfuz
Focus group is a very useful technique of qualitative research; and thus knowing and understanding the reality with greater incidence of credibility. Focus group can be off line and on line. Research has found that off line focus groups are far more effective than the online ones. Offline focus groups have been found to be having the advantage of the highest breadth and depth.
They also have been found to lead to high quality outcome. The body language of people in expressing themselves, tempers, emotions, and anxieties of people can be appropriately gauged in the offline focus group; which help in fuller interpretation of data.
I also endorse very useful points that Nageswara and other friends have outlined. There needs to be a competent coordinator so as to ensure a still higher degree of effectiveness. I am attaching a paper on the subject.
This has been widely use and is very popular. The few I took part in seems to gather some intersting and useful ideas. I think one should define 'effectiveness' before evaludating whether a tool is effective or not.
I agree with Huajiang, I really love focus groups but they are only appropriate for a limited number of research questions, so I find it difficult to agree with a statement such as the focus group is one of the best techniques. This is true but only when appropriate to the question. I have found a lot of people become comfortable with a technique, or have produced great results using a technique, in the past and on these bases use the technique all of the time when other approaches may be more applicable.
Focus groups are used in marketing research related to product design to establish the appropriate specifications for product development.
Here is a good guideline for conducting focus groups:
http://csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/sites/default/files/files/1366308805/focus_groups.pdf
Attached is another document from Iowa State University.
It is a controversial issue, but I believe that the more emotionally stable participants are, the more efficient the group.
@ Shafig, "Make sure you have enough take time to identify the participants, develop and test the questions, locate a site, invite and follow up with participants, and gather the materials for the sessions".The answer is very rich in information provided.
Focus group as you rightly said Prof Mahfuz,is when used effectively is a good metodology.They are the most reliable and valid way of getting first-hand information where the focus group are directly involved in the experience investigated.
When all the precautions are observed ,the researcher should have higher than 95 percent confident level of the results or findings in the real sense of it..However all barriers ,stereotyping,misconceptions ,which acts as threat to validity,must be greatly and effectively minimised.
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