Steps for conducting focus groups or individual indepth. Pdf using focus groups in social research researchgate. It is participants who must dominate the discussion. Like the moderator is required to keep the discussion under control and during the interview, the focus areas of the interest are taken as topics for the discussions. Ideally, around one hour should be set aside for the focus group discussion. Guidelines for conducting a focus group the university of. 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. The advantages of focus group discussion are as follows.
Breen faculty of education, university of technology, sydney, australia abstract this article guides readers through the decisions and considerations involved in conducting focus group research. The group needs to be large enough to generate rich discussion but not so large that some participants are left out. Wondering how to choose a focus group moderator for your next research study. Focus group questions recruitment flyer invitee tracking form introductory remarks sample consent from data analysis format synthesized report format defining a focus group a focus group is a small group of six to ten people led through an open discussion by a skilled moderator. One aim of a focus group discussion would be to identify perceptions and. Focus groups can help clarify such perplexing information. Focus groups are qualitative research tools used to exploreunderstand consumers perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes pobas 1 regarding a specific topic. 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. The focus groups have a moderator in them and the moderator plays a role of controlling the situation. Adjunct to our previous article challenges in conducting focus group. A focus group usually consists of 512 individuals who all possess certain characteristics pertaining to the topic of the group.
Focus group on health care experiences moderators guidelines. As a moderator you should initially focus on ensuring each participant contributes to the discussion topic, answers all questions and stays on track. The skills and qualities saqs of a moderator are keys to success for an effective group. If you have ever watched a focus group moderator in action, you know that they are amazing jugglers. The project team, also referred to as the research team, is critical to the outcome of the focus group project. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Characteristics of a focus group a focus group is a facilitated, open discussion with a small group of participants led by an experienced moderator and co moderator. Focus group weaknesses as with any research method, focus groups are not without weaknesses.
Focus group a, august 2001 3 now, please would the rest of the group like to discuss their reaction to. When focus group participants are genuinely engaged in the study and the moderator is sufficiently skillful, the outcome can be clarity about major themes. A focus group is a type of interview and it seems like it would be simple to conduct. Pdf the focus group research method has been used in a variety of settings over the years. The goal of todays meeting is to understand if the internal communications and news you currently receive is effective, relevant and valuable to. Moderators are experts at the 3 es encourage, engage and elicit, but honestly a moderator is doing. The pros and cons of focus groups show that there can be a lot of valuable information gathered from this type of survey method. Focus group learn about different types of focus groups. In a brief time the moderator must create a thoughtful, permissive atmosphere, provide ground rules, and set the tone of the discussion. The moderator can bring any changes in order to better facilitate the discussion during the group discussion.
Focus group discussion yang lebih terkenal dengan singkatannya fgd merupakan salah satu metode riset kualitatif yang paling terkenal selain teknik wawancara. Focus groups are a facilitated discussion and work well when the topic can be well scoped. For the greatest productivity, focus group sessions should be limited to one or two per day with reflection time for the moderator and the assistant moderator in between. The moderator should move on to the next story, once no more comments are. Develop the discussion questionsmake sure they are clear. One and half hour is the appropriate length for the focus group. Perezsindin lopez leave a comment in general, moderator should be flexible, objective, empathic, persuasive, a good listener fontana and frey 2000, p.
I will guide the conversation by asking questions that each of you can respond to. Introduction to focus groups conduct a focus group. Abstract focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative. Select focus group moderators to lead participants through a predesigned discussion guide by stimulating participation and facilitating useful discussion. By the way, if you havent done so already, heres a quick primer about focus groups which might provide a little more context to this article. A microanalysis of the information that emerges from the study is not as easy to achieve through focus group methods. In this case, the idea is to use a small number of exploratory groups, in an initial stage of the research, to guide the construction of the topics of the interview. A focus group is a facilitated, open discussion with a small group of participants led by an experienced moderator and co moderator. This paper uses the definition of focus group as a controlled group discussion, on the basis that the group interaction generated through discussion is of prior importance to this methodology. Focus group discussion is a form of qualitative research method in which the interviewer also called the moderator asks research participants specific questions about a topic or an issue in a group discussion. Focus groups can help guide marketers in providing better goods and services. The focus group fg has been actually employed by marketing, and is becoming importanct also in other areas. Act as a moderator during your focus group and apply strategies to handle various types of situations.
Generate and pretest an interview guide the interview guide sets the agenda for the focus group discussion by establishing the research questions to be addressed in the focus group. In the focus group, in the observation room, in the start meeting, in moderator training, in other specialty training, with thought leaders, at trade shows, everywhere that relates to his or her work and what is important to his or her clients. However, there are a number of situations where moderator should also participate. Moderators experiences, authors thought it would be fair to further discuss about the proceduressteps in data collection. The moderator then needs to open the discussion to the rest of the group by saying. The first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. To sit away from the group and observe their behavior 4. Recruit participants for your focus group and apply techniques to ensure they show up and participate. The clients and moderator develop this guide together. Focus group discussion can be utilised within a suite of techniques in a multi. This format involves using two groups where one group actively discusses. Free and open discussion among the respondents results in generation of new ideas that can be very useful for decisionmaking. Fgd adalah diskusi terfokus dari suatu group untuk membahas suatu masalah tertentu, dalam suasana informal dan santai.
Below are 10 key saqs every moderator should practice 2,3,4. A skillful moderator needs to know the topic in depth or should be an expert in the subject of discussion 17. A practical guide to focusgroup research rosanna l. Depending on the research objective, the focus group can be used alone or in conjunction with other methods. The materials that you will need for focus groups are. Heong the focus group discussion fgd is a rapid assessment, semi. Although the moderator s influence over what happens in a focus group may be limited, he or she can nonetheless try to ensure that all members of the group have an opportunity to contribute to the discussion, without being under pressure to do so if unwilling, and that one or more individuals do not dominate the. There were seven median focus group meetings per study. A prospective focus group moderator should exhibit the following skills and attributes. A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data. Focus group a, august 2001 3 now, please would the rest of the group like to discuss their reaction to xs story. In the focus groups, dont include questions for group discussion if you need individual responses. Steps for conducting focus groups or individual indepth interviews 1.
The focus group moderators job is to facilitate the discussion and to encourage all respondents to contribute their thoughts, feelings and ideas. An average of eight to ten participants with a homogeneous background, but unfamiliar with each other, is needed for each group. The difference between quality data and data with bias depends on how people are screened and the data is treated. Instead, you can have the moderator give each participant selfadministered. In focus groups, the role of moderator is to ask questions or propose discussion topics and help participants to relax while explaining the purpose of the focus group and what are the expectations. The focus group moderator nurtures disclosure in an open and spontaneous. Focus groups, unlike individual interviews, provide the added dimension of the interactions among members.
Focus group discussion in qualitative research new delhi. Others have chosen to run focus groups for departments or groups where hot spots have. In general, moderator should be flexible, objective, empathic, persuasive, a good listener fontana and frey 2000, p. Note that your role is to act as the focus group moderator, which means you direct the content and flow of the discussion and make sure that its on the right track. A focus group discussion fgd is a qualitative research method and data collection technique in which a selected group of people discusses a given topic or issue indepth, facilitated by a professional, external moderator. But a good focus group moderator must master several key skills and apply them all at the same time. One out of every four hamburgers turns brown before it is done. A fundamental element of a focus group is the moderator. This method serves to solicit participants attitudes and perceptions, knowledge and experiences, and. Some organisations use the demographic categories length of service in the organisation, department, etc that appear within the analysis tool or other surveys, to invite the different groups to attend the focus groups. What is the role of the moderator in a focus group. Pdf guidelines for conducting focus groups researchgate. Focus group discussion sessions lasted for 90 median minutes. How to choose a focus group moderator hardwick research.
Pemahaman tentang fgd istilah kelompok diskusi terarah atau dikenal sebagai focus group discussion fgd saat ini sangat populer dan banyak digunakan sebagai metode pengumpulan data dalam penelitian sosial. Notepads and pencils flip charts or easel paper focus group script. Focus group interviewing richard krueger 4 beginning the focus group discussion the first few moments in focus group discussion are critical. The number of participants per focus group where reported ranged from 3 to 21 participants with a median of 10 participants. For someone in the position of selecting a moderator for a focus group, the following attributes are important indicators to guide the choice of a moderator.
Moderating 10 key skills and qualities society of sensory. Moderators are often the most visible members of the focus group project. To ask leading questions and dominate the discussion 3. Focus group moderators certainly do ask questions and typically they ask a lot of them. Pengambilan data kualitatif melalui fgd dikenal luas karena kelebihannya dalam memberikan. Also, i included the cost of a moderator from the top of the estimated range since it really pays to get a good moderator for your focus groups. The ideal focus group moderator has the following traits. Would everybody please take turns to introduce themselves by giving your name, and briefly share with the group how often you put on makeup. Participants should be provided with clear details of where and when the focus group will take place and how long it will last. Finding some form of appropriate training for how to manage and conduct focus groups proved problematic. Tips for conducting a focus group rand corporation. The quality of the data obtained from a focus group discussion is the direct result of how well the moderator carries out the interview.
Establish a schedule, the time frame of the discussion and ask everyone to follow it. The interview guide sets the agenda for the focus group discussion by establishing the research questions to be addressed in the focus group. When estimating focus group costs, consider the location and cost of staff time to observe the session, as well as more obvious expenses like facility rental, moderator time, and supplies. Probe responses and engage participants in a group discussion, while collecting qualitative data and keep the discussion moving. Challenges associated with focus groups are most often attributed to two main factors. It generally involves group interviewing in which a small group of usually 8 to 12 people. To stimulate discussion and keep the conversation on track 2. Market research professionals trained in conducting, managing and analyzing a focus group session. A typical focus group should be between 610 participants that share common characteristics. Focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method kitzinger 1995. The group of participants is guided by a moderator. In this chapter, i will focus on the importance of the focus group method, its history, and its benefits and pitfalls. Welcome to this focus group discussion, please feel free to express your opinion and views clearly and in detail one person at a time. If the facilitator is anxious, this may make the participants uncomfortable and limit discussion.
Keep in mind that the outcome of the focus group is crucial for designing the survey instrument and. A focus group is a conversation that focuses on specific questions in a safe and confidential environment. While it might seem ideal always to have a moderator from a similar background to the participants, having the same moderator for all groups is also useful, as she can ensure that the same issues are addressed in all groups. But the truth is that focus group success is highly dependent on the skill of the discussion moderator.
Evaluation of slogans and concepts for usdas food thermometer education campaign. The key feature of a single focus group is the interactive discussion. I computed the total cost under the assumption of running two focus groups during the evening, while recruiting 10 people per group. It can impact focus group discussion if the facilitator is anxious because materials are missing or purchased at the last minute. A focus group is a small group of six to ten people led through an open discussion by a skilled moderator. Focus group discussion is frequently used as a qualitative approach to gain an indepth understanding of social issues. You wont be surprised to hear that the quality of your moderator will influence the success of your project. It is very important that the moderator and co moderator lead the discussion towards what it is more important for us to understand.
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