Introduction
Focus groups are a qualitative method of research for which several people are collected and interviewed. Together they discuss a product, service, or problem which needs to be analyzed. Research-based on using focus groups is impossible without a moderator who directs and controls the course of the discussion. The method is helpful if the organization needs to segment the audience or better understand the needs of the users for whom the product is being created.
The Working Principle
The method’s main principle is that the participants’ attention is focused on the topic or object under study. The focus group aims to determine the participants’ attitudes to a particular problem and obtain information about the consumers’ motivation, personal experiences, and perceptions (Nyumba et al., 2018). A focus group is a small number of typical population members being studied, similar in basic social characteristics. A focus group survey is conducted according to a detailed scenario.
Successful research will require well-selected respondents, a qualified moderator, the right location, and an effective program. The optimal number of respondents for a focus group is from eight to ten; otherwise, the range of opinions may be either insufficient or too variable (Hennink et al., 2019). The main selection criterion should be based on the relevance of the respondents to the target audience. A moderator is an important person who guides the discussion and ensures that each participant has the opportunity to speak freely. The moderator’s task is to provide the order of the survey, the even distribution of time among the participants, and observe the reactions.
At the beginning of the conversation, the participants get acquainted with the moderator, and the coordinator explains the task of the study and conducts a general discussion. Exact adherence to the plan will allow the researcher to get accurate answers to the right questions from all respondents. The study involves audio and video recording, so the room must be adapted for these needs. It is essential to create a comfortable atmosphere; this will help survey participants feel freer and give more honest answers.
Appropriation of Using Focus Groups
The focus group method is often required in sociological, psychological, and marketing research. The most popular use of this quantitative method is in marketing when a company segments the market, analyzes the needs of the target audience, or evaluates the significance of product features. In addition, using the focus group method can demonstrate whether an advertising company is effective, what means of creating an image are essential to the buyer, and test the effectiveness of a slogan or logo. The use of the focus group method is suitable if the researcher wants to get the opinion of buyers and ordinary people, but there are not enough resources for a full-scale survey.
Advantages
The focus group method is popular due to the undeniable advantages it provides during research. Focus group interaction allows the researcher to penetrate deeper into the essence of the subject, generating ideas that cannot arise as a result of an individual survey. In the course of such group studies, a snowball effect often occurs, causing a chain reaction of comments (Cyr, 2019). Thus, after the presentation, the participants begin to desire to express their ideas and feelings. The focus group composition is selected to be homogeneous, which contributes to the emergence of a sense of security among the respondents (Cyr, 2019). In the course of a conversation, unique and spontaneous responses can be received, even though the action takes place according to the script. Consequently, valuable ideas may appear in a group discussion, which is profitable for the survey originator.
A highly qualified leader is involved in the focus group, indicating a high degree of specialization in this research type. The focus group brings the customer closer to the data source, and more rigorous prerequisites for collecting information are created compared to other methods (Cyr, 2019). Due to the flexibility of the focus group discussion, it is possible to combine a wide range of problematic issues (Bergen & Labonté, 2020). Finally, the collection of information and its analysis is relatively fast since several respondents participate in the conversation at the same time.
Limitations
While there are many advantages to using focus groups as a quantitative method, this approach also has several limitations. There is a relatively high probability of incorrect interpretation of the data obtained during the study (Cyr, 2019). This situation may arise because focus group research results are descriptive studies of market behavior rather than in-depth analysis. Focus groups are sensitive to the customers’ and researchers’ opinions, so they are more likely to be misjudged (Cyr, 2019). Focus group moderation is a complex process; the results’ quality depends on the facilitator’s qualifications and moderation style. The unstructured course of conducting focus group interviews often leads to several respondents’ simultaneous conversations, making it difficult to interpret the results (Cyr, 2019). The results obtained in focus groups may be unrepresentative due to the insufficient quality of the selection of respondents.
Ethical Concerns
One of the essential principles in the ethics of conducting focus group research is the relationship between the sponsor and the moderator and between the respondents and the moderator. The moderator should be expected to maintain complete confidentiality regarding the content of the groups and the final results (Cyr, 2019). The moderator needs to be trusted concerning the main directions that determine the quality of the study.
Selecting the appropriate techniques depends on the agreement between the sponsors and the moderator regarding the selection method to be used. The moderator must ensure that all persons are selected for the group meeting according to the characteristics determined by the use of the products (Cyr, 2019). Participants do not need to be aware of the nature of the group before the meeting. The moderator should make every effort to improve the quality and quantity of ideas and additional information. The moderator must provide a written or oral report containing his interpretation of the results. On the ethical side, it is also mandatory to ensure anonymity at the request of the respondents and provide them with the necessary information about the study’s objectives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, focus groups are an excellent research tool for quantitative analysis. The advantages of using it far outweigh the disadvantages when used in psychology, sociology, and marketing studies. A properly selected group and a moderator provide a relevant result for decision-making. The main requirement for proper research based on focus groups is the observance of confidentiality, both concerning the respondents and the client.
References
Bergen, N., & Labonté, R. (2020). “Everything is perfect, and we have no problems”: Detecting and limiting social desirability bias in qualitative research. Qualitative health research, 30(5), 783-792. Web.
Cyr, J. (2019). Focus groups for the social science researcher. Cambridge University Press.
Hennink, M. M., Kaiser, B. N., & Weber, M. B. (2019). What influences saturation? Estimating sample sizes in focus group research. Qualitative health research, 29(10), 1483-1496. Web.
Nyumba, O. T., Wilson, K., Derrick, C. J., & Mukherjee, N. (2018). The use of focus group discussion methodology: Insights from two decades of application in conservation. Methods in Ecology and evolution, 9(1), 20-32. Web.