Focus Groups

Focus Groups are small groups of people, (usually between 5 and 12) brought together to discuss a specific idea or issue, or to test various approaches. Typically participants will be carefully chosen to represent a section of a community – for example: customers, people living in a particular neighbourhood, parents of toddlers, workers from the Accounts department.

Experienced facilitators guide the discussion but never offer opinions. This ensures that a truer picture of a target audience's thoughts is captured.

When are Focus Groups best used?

Focus Groups are most commonly used to test new:

ideas
products
marketing initiatives

Focus Groups often have a visual element such as advertisements, products or new software formats. The strength of this methodology however lies in exploring issues in-depth. It can be highly effective as a means of understanding how people feel about complex issues within organisations or communities.

Focus Group discussions often generate insight that questionnaires or one-to-one interviews do not. People are frequently more open with their comments, and often accept further consideration or exploration of the issues before expressing a final, truer view. We even see a degree of opinions-changing through the process.

A number of Focus Groups may be held to explore a particular issue. This may mean that groups are held in different parts of the country, that separate groups contain customers or users and others non-customers or non-users. In many cases it may be necessary to offer participants some form of incentive to attend.

To discuss how The Survey Centre could help you create a Focus Group programme call us on 01444 240249, or contact us.