Qualitative research – focus group discussions and projective techniques - VLE4 Flashcards
Hakuna Matata
What are the characteristics of focus groups?
Key benefit
Group members ‘feed’ off each other and creatively reveal ideas which the researcher may not have thought of or dared to tackle
Key drawback
Group members may feel intimidated or shy and may not reveal anything of significance
Group size
6–10
Group composition
Homogeneous, participants pre-screened by questionnaire or through known characteristics
Physical setting
Relaxed, informal atmosphere, ‘comfortable’ from the perspective of the participants
Stimulating discussion
Use of storyboards, mood boards, products, advertisements, films, music, websites, brochures
Time duration
1.5 to 6 hours
Recording
Use of audiocassettes, videotapes and notes from observations
Moderator
Observational, interpersonal and communication skills
What qualities should a focus group moderator have?
kindness with firmness
permissiveness
involvement
incomplete understanding
encouragement
flexibility
sensitivity
observation.
How many focus groups should be conducted?
The extent to which comparisons are sought.
The different types of participant to be targeted and how well they mix together.
The geographic spread of participants.
The paradigm which underpins the choice of a focus group.
The time and budget available.
What is a mood board?
A mood board is a collage created in a focus group setting. Focus group participants are asked to snip words and pictures from magazines which they see as representing the values a particular brand is perceived to have. In some circumstances, collages can also be made up from audio and videotapes.
What are the two main functions for mood boards?
Reference point
The moderator can use it to reflect upon the discussion, in which case issues can emerge which were not so apparent in the heat of a discussion.
Enabling device
It can get participants to loosen up and talk more freely. The focus group is not to get participants to talk rationally, but to display what ‘feels right’ to them. It can help to express feelings they may not be able to put into words, or enable those words to have more clarity.
What are examples of probing?
‘Would you explain further?’
‘Can you give me an example of what you mean?’
‘Would you say more?’
‘Is there anything else?’
‘Please describe what you mean?’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘Tell me more about that.’
‘How does that work?’
What are examples of probing the whole group?
‘Who else has something?’
‘What about the rest of you?’
‘I see people nodding their heads. Tell me about it.’
‘We want to hear all the different points of view. Who else has something which might be a bit different?’
What are different variations of focus groups?
two-way groups – a target group listens to, and learns from, a related group
dual-moderator groups – a focus group conducted by two moderators, one responsible for the smooth flow of the session, the other ensures specific issues are discussed
duelling-moderator groups – a focus groups with two moderators who deliberately take opposite positions on the issues to be discussed
participant-moderator groups – the moderator asks selected participants to play the role of moderator temporarily to improve group dynamics
client-participant groups – client personnel are part of the discussion group to offer clarifications
mini groups – smaller groups with four or five participants for when more extensive probing is required
telephone focus groups – shorter focus groups conducted using telephone conferencing systems.
What are the advantages of focus groups?
synergy – pooling of thoughts lead to greater insights than achieved individually
snowballing – bandwagon effect, such that one person’s comment triggers a chain reaction from other participants
stimulation – greater engagement from the group as the general level of excitement over the topic increases in the group
security – can safely ‘open up’ if participants are comfortable thinking other (homogeneous) participants hold similar views
spontaneity – accurate idea of views when responses are spontaneous
serendipity – group dynamics can generate new ideas unexpectedly
specialisation – due to several participants being involved, the use of a highly-trained, but expensive, interviewer is justified
scientific scrutiny – close scrutiny of the data collection process allowing validation and interpretation of the collected data
structure – flexibility in the topics covered and the depth with which they are treated
speed – since there are several participants, data collection and analysis can proceed relatively quickly.
What are the disadvantages of focus groups?
misjudgement – moderator bias can affect the specific direction of questioning and the ultimate interpretation of findings
moderation – if there is a lack of ‘group chemistry’ then the focus group may be ineffective
messiness – the unstructured qualitative data collected leads to difficulty of coding, analysis and interpretation
misrepresentation – generalisation of results to the wider population based on a homogeneous group is difficult
meeting – organising a mutually-convenient time and place among all participants can be difficult.
Why may market researchers not wish to fully reveal the purpose of a focus group discussion with participants before it starts?
Market researchers may avoid fully revealing the purpose of a focus group at the start to prevent narrowing participants’ focus. This encourages broader discussions, allowing natural exploration of contextual issues that reveal deeper insights. For example, discussing general topics like clothing or advertising can uncover attitudes toward a brand (e.g., Benetton) without biasing responses. Gradually introducing specific brand-related questions helps capture authentic opinions and contrasts.
What determines the questions, issues and probes used in a focus group?
The questions, issues, and probes in a focus group are guided by a topic guide aligned with the research objectives. This guide may include broad issues or specific questions, depending on the need for flexibility or consistency across groups. While specific questions aid comparisons and rescue failing discussions, overly rigid questioning can stifle creativity. Moderators adapt questions dynamically, considering the group’s responses and emerging insights from participants themselves.
What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of being able to observe covertly a focus group discussion?
The advantages are the following.
A number of observers can be involved in the interpretation of the discussion without affecting the nature of the discussion.
When moderating an interview, one is preparing questions and probes and managing the dynamics of the group – there is little time to concentrate fully on particular individuals and ideas.
The disadvantages are the following.
If participants have any notion that they are being observed in a covert manner, they may not be so comfortable and this can affect how open and cooperative they are.
There is the ethical issue of observing individuals without their knowledge and to what use those observations may be put.
What is an online focus group?
An online focus group (e-group) is a virtual version of a traditional focus group where participants, pre-recruited through screening, join via a provided URL, room name, and password. Participants respond to questions, tagging responses with issue numbers for easy transcription. E-groups are faster than traditional focus groups, offering instant raw transcripts and formatted ones within 48 hours. This speed facilitates rapid analysis, often using qualitative software. Participants are incentivized with benefits or rewards for their involvement.
What are the distinct advantages and disadvantages of running online compared with traditional focus groups?
Advantages of online focus groups are the following.
Participants from all over the world can take part, and with mobile advances, they can physically be anywhere that they are comfortable.
There is the opportunity to contact participants again at a later date, to revisit issues, or introduce them to modifications in material presented in the original focus group.
The internet and the use of profiled consumers via access panels enable the researcher to reach segments which are usually hard to interview: doctors, lawyers, professionals, working mothers and others who are leading busy lives and are not interested in taking part in traditional focus groups.
Moderators may also be able to carry on side conversations with individual participants, probing deeper into interesting areas.
Participants may be less inhibited in their responses and can be more likely to fully express their thoughts, especially if they have the facility to reflect and load up images, music or other forms of expression.
Disadvantages of online focus groups are the following.
Only individuals that have access to and know how to use a computer can participate in e-groups.
Since the name of a participant is often private, actually verifying who the participant is and hence whether they fit a target profile can be difficult.
Body language, facial expressions, silences and the tone of voice cannot be observed and electronic emotions cannot capture as full a breadth of emotion as video recording.
A general lack of control over the participant’s environment and their potential exposure to distracting external stimuli. Since e-groups could potentially have participants scattered all over the world, researchers and moderators have no idea what else participants may be doing during the discussion.
Only audio and visual stimuli can be tested. Products cannot be touched (for example, clothing) or smelled (for example, perfumes). It may be more difficult to get clients or decision-makers involved in e-groups as they can be in observing traditional groups.
