FOCUS GROUP

Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group

Strengths and Weaknesses of Focus Group

Introduction

As with all research methods, focus groups have both strengths and limitations. Strengths of this approach include how groups provide for exploration and discovery (to learn more about ideas or people who are poorly understood), context and depth (to discover the background behind thoughts, experiences, and differences), interpretation (to uncover how things are as they are and how they got that way), and sharing and comparing across participants (to offer and sharpen ideas and perspectives through the group process). In all of these instances, researchers benefit from listening and learning from a conversation across individuals.

Types

Many focus group experts acknowledge that these group conversations can take several forms. Perhaps the most common type is a full group, in which a group of 6 to 10 participants (who are recruited because they share at least one commonality of relevance to the researcher) are gathered together and led by one moderator (possibly with the aide of a facilitator who helps with procedural aspects of the focus group) for 90 to 120 minutes. Other types of groups involve at least one derivation from this approach. Two-way focus groups allow for one group to watch another focus group and to discuss the observed interactions and conclusions.

Dual moderator focus groups feature two moderators in which one guides the conversation and another makes sure that all desired topics are covered. Dueling moderator focus groups , unlike dual moderator groups, feature two moderators that encourage these two leaders to intentionally take opposite sides on the issue under discussion (and then watch the conversation that emerges as a response from the group). Respondent moderator focus groups invite one or more of the participants to act as the moderator on a temporary basis in order to add another layer of perspective to the conversation.

Preparation Steps

Focus group preparation involves the following steps. First, researchers must decide what kind of people should be studied, how many groups should be conducted, what type of group plan should be adopted for each group type (e.g. per group recruited on at least one variable of interest to the researcher), and how participants will be recruited or sampled. Although it is rarely used, a probability sampling design can be used to sample participants. Often recruitment is done via telephone. It is recommended that at least three to four groups per group type be conducted.

Deciding upon how large an incentive should be offered is an important decision as offering too low an incentive will increase recruitment costs (because many people will refuse), possibly to the level where it would have been cost-effective to start out with a larger incentive in the first place. In deciding about the amount of incentive, consideration should be given to travel time and travel cost for the participants to come to the focus group facility.

Second, researchers should decide on a moderator. Moderators should not be of an age, ethnic background, or gender that might inhibit group members from participating ...