ࡱ> AC@ h'bjbjT~T~ .066h00sssss :Y[[[[[[P6[s[ssp"ssYYP&`E0(s("[[0 9: Effective Focus Groups Presented by Tracy Knofla, High Impact Training  HYPERLINK "http://www.highimpacttraining.net" www.highimpacttraining.net 320-259-8222 Hi Folks, I have enclosed the handouts and some references on this topic. The two other attachments have good info on analysis of the data. If you have any other questions feel free to contact me at  HYPERLINK "mailto:tracy@hit4you.net" tracy@hit4you.net Happy Focusing! Key Components of Focus Groups Purpose of the focus group It is important to know what kinds of information you are looking for and exactly why you are holding the focus group. Having a clear, strongly defined purpose will help you develop the participant list and the questions. It is the most important part of the process. You will refer back to the purpose of the focus group frequently as you plan and implement the groups. Think in terms of: If I knew why theyI could as the basis of your study. Frequency and Duration - Enough focus group sessions should be held to ensure an adequate amount of data is collected. It is hard to know exactly how many, but they should be held frequently - until you get redundant information and generally are 90-120 minutes long. Generally 3-4 sessions should get you the information you desire. Make sure the room is comfortable and that you provide refreshments for the participants. Moderator and Assistant Moderator The role of the moderator is to make the participants feel welcome and create an environment where people will be honest and open with their opinions. The moderator should be neutral to the topic and adept at keeping the conversation going. Often the moderator is not a part of the sponsoring organization, but a consultant to them. They need to keep the conversation moving and keep to the time schedule and the script. Characteristics of an effective moderator as discussed in our session: Their brain is working overtime for context and content. They have open eyes to see the dynamics of the group. They are active listeners for both what is being said and what is not being said. They use animated arm movements. They keep track of time and keep the conversation on track.. They focus on the meeting and nothing else. They relate positively to others. Its a hard job and an acquired skill set. The assistant moderator does not talk. He/she runs the tape recorder and takes notes about the context of the session making note of body language, emotional responses and should make note of any trends that they observe. He/she will participate in a debriefing session following the group. Participants Should be carefully selected by the moderator and the sponsoring group to ensure they get the best possible information. There should be between 6-10 participants. No more. They should somehow be compensated for their time and effort either monetarily, with gift cards or something else meaningful to them. They should be seated comfortably in a circle or around a table. Light refreshments should be available to them. Participants should be as homogeneous as possible and should not be good friends if possible. At some times it may be desirable to have members of the same group in the same session if the purpose is to determine changes within their own organization. Questions Next to a well-defined purpose, this is the most important component of the focus group. Questions should be limited to 5-6 key questions. Ones, which get at the central concept to be discussed. However, there should also be one or two questions that warm up the participants before the crucial ones and there should also be one or two closing questions that wrap up the conversation. Many other people should review questions before they appear on the final list of questions. They should be open ended no yes or no answers - and should be easily understood by all participants. They should start with general questions and then move to more specific ones. Script The moderator should write and follow a script. It has three components: The welcome, which sets the tone for the session. It should talk about the sponsoring group and the need for this information from them. It should set some ground rules for participation, confidentiality, and discuss the necessity for the taping of the session. The next part of the session should be the core discussion questions. These should be asked of all participants to ensure the accuracy of the groups. The closing portion of the script is used to thank the participants for their contributions and to ensure that all comments have been heard. The phrase; have we missed anything? should end all sessions. Facilitation Techniques Facilitators must make sure that they do not skew results by injecting their personality or opinions into the discussions either verbally or non-verbally. Facilitators should ask good questions, ensure that all members of the group are participating in the discussion, and that no members take over the discussion. Attention should be given to quieter members of the group to make sure they are participating. No leading questions should be asked, however, the facilitator should use different techniques to move the group along if conversation stalls. Analyzing the Data Analysis of the data should begin immediately following the group. The moderator and assistant moderator should debrief and record their reactions of the group, making note of the common themes and any unusual things that happened in the session. It is important to capture this information right away so that nuances are not forgotten. The tapes should then be transcribed so that the comments can be recorded either within a computer program that codes and analyzes data or manually with color-coded paper by cutting and pasting the main comments and concepts (long table approach). Having actual quotes from participants to back up themes and concepts is important to the veracity of the study. As we discussed, there will be times when transcription of the sessions will be impossible. In these cases, the debriefing should be extensive with both moderator and assistant moderator looking for themes and over-arching concepts. After the first session it may be easier to record subsequent data. The tapes should be listened to and notes taken again to make sure that all-important information has been captured. Creating a Report Depending on the use of the information, the report can take the form of a detailed analysis of the data, or be a simple recollection of questions with general themes from the participants. If the report is to be statistically validated, you must use proper coding and analysis from above. If the purpose of the group was to gather more casual information as the basis for action planning for instance, a report that uses bullet points to highlight the findings will suffice. The most important aspect of the report is the ability to back up your suppositions with quotes from the participants. Develop a Plan Once the information you collected has been studied and general themes have emerged, you will want to use this information to create a plan of action. This plan could involve marketing programs, creating strategic plans, developing a mission statement or any other action that satisfies the purpose of your study. Often this is the most forgotten part of the process. In Conclusion Hosting effective focus groups involves an extensive amount of planning, forethought and the skills of a talented moderator. One session will generally not give you the information you need in order to make informed decisions from participant input. When done properly, focus groups will give you in-depth, detailed information that you will not be able to gather any other way and form the basis of a great plan. Good Luck! Contact Tracy at  HYPERLINK "http://www.hit4you.net" www.hit4you.net to share your focus group success! 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