Focus Groups

Focus Group Basics

When conducting a focus group, four key factors must be considered: (a) the process, (b) the content, (c) group composition, and (d) data analysis.

With respect to process, a focus group ideally should consist of 10 to 12 people, although it certainly can be smaller or much larger. As Janine Waclawski and Steven Rogelberg (2002) note, it is typically led by a facilitator who asks the research questions and is assisted by a scribe who takes notes. It is vital that the focus group be led by both a facilitator and a scribe; one person alone cannot sufficiently manage the group, ask questions, probe for additional information, and capture session notes in real time. Although it is often tempting to consider streamlining the process to have one person performing both roles, this is not advisable under any circumstances. The duration of the focus group generally runs from one to two hours. In terms of location, a place where people feel that they can talk freely is best. This will lead to a better quality of data. For the most part, an offsite conference room is preferred. This typically engenders an environment of openness and fosters candid communication. These factors are critical to the success of a focus group.

According to some, including Krueger, the focus group can be as structured or unstructured as the facilitator desires. However, Waclawski and Rogelberg indicate that this is not considered best practice. Focus groups tend to run most smoothly and produce higherquality data when the content of study is determined well in advance of the session. To accomplish this, most facilitators develop and use what is known as a discussion guide. This is a document that contains a scripted introduction to the session, the specific research questions to be posed to the group, and the session close. The introduction is important because it sets the tone and ground rules for the focus group. It typically contains a welcome statement; an introduction to the topic of the focus group; an introduction [Page 256]to the facilitator, scribe, and participants; and rules regarding the confidentiality of the data and the ultimate use of the results. The majority of the discussion guide focuses on the questions for the meeting and appropriate probes for follow-up.

No matter how well scripted the questions are, there is always some degree of fluidity and unexpectedness that occurs during the focus groups. This is normal and part of what makes this method of data collection so rich. The session close typically consists of a reiteration of confidentiality and the purposes for which the data will be used, as well as contact information for the facilitator.

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