ARTICLE 4: KEY ELEMENTS OF SUCCESSFUL ONLINE FOCUS GROUPS
What are the key elements of successful online focus group implementation?
Conducting online focus groups is easier said than done. Some of the most crucial factors of when implementing qualitative research through online focus groups are outlined below:
- Have a clearly defined research goal and set relevant research objectives: This is by far the most crucial factor of success, not just in implementing qualitative research using focus groups, but in implementing any type of research. If research goals are not clearly communicated to the researcher and the moderator, then the whole research will be out of scope, no matter how well it is planned out or performed. The main research goal is usually comprised in the answer to the question: What is the ‘problem’ I want to solve by doing market research? By the word ‘problem’ we don’t necessarily mean to describe a negative or problematic situation, but usually the lack of necessary information required to achieve our business goals. For example: “What are the most important features, my product should have, in order to elicit purchase consideration amongst my target audience and stand-out from the competition”?
- Recruit the ‘right’ group of participants: taking advantage of the wide accessibility of participants, offered by online research, recruitment should be representative of the target population, inclusive of all subgroups included in a target audience, allowing for diversity on parameters which do not comprise target group selection criteria, such as geographical location, people with mobility issues, people with busy schedules etc. Using a screening questionnaire, recruitment should include people who share characteristics related to the theme of interest (e.g. have a bank account, own an insurance scheme) and exclude people who might have biased opinions about the subject (e.g. people who work at a bank, people who work in advertising or in research).
- Maintain the right number of participants.
According to industry experts, but also based on our own experience, the ideal number of participants in an online focus group is 6-7 participants. This number is adequate for obtaining diverse opinions. At the same time it is ideal for allocating enough time to each participant to express their views and talk without stressing out, shortening their responses or withdrawing their thoughts in an attempt to leave space for other participants to talk.
Of course, depending on the goal/scope of the research, the right number of participants may be vary. For example, if the topic is very complicated, specialized or sensitive a smaller number of participants might be more appropriate.
- Form clear expectations and address any foreseen concerns before the discussion begins: Provide relevant information about the discussion process (length of discussion, required technical equipment, video recording, protection of personal information etc), to set expectations and obtain a written consent for the use of participants’ data prior, during and after the discussions.
- Carefully craft a focused and comprehensive discussion guide which includes all the main research objectives: The discussion guide is the main research instrument which will guide the discussion and keep it focused on the research goal, addressing all research objectives set by the researcher in collaboration with the commissioning authority. The discussion guide will act as a “map” for the moderator to guide the flow of the discussion and to ensure that all issues/themes of interest will be examined, within time limits. A discussion guide should include an indication of time dedicated to each theme/objective, to provide further guidance to the moderator for managing the given timeframe of the discussion effectively.
- Select a moderator with the right skills, experience and personality traits
Selecting a skilled and experienced moderator is a very important factor determining the success of the research. Unlike quantitative research, the researcher does not rely on a structured questionnaire to receive answers to pre-existing questions, but gathers insights from discussions which should be guided skillfully, with great precision and constant focus on the research goal.
The moderator should be in a position to improvise and adapt the discussion guide accordingly, alternating between direct and indirect techniques where deemed necessary or beneficial and adjusting the conversation to include any new/unforeseen relevant aspects and to deepen into relevant topics revealed during the course of the discussion.
The moderator can be described as the ‘maestro’ of the ‘orchestra’, keeping the tempo and managing time efficiently. A skillful moderator will elegantly intervene and re-direct the conversation when it gets out of focus or ‘overspills’ on a particular theme, taking up valuable time which should be dedicated to other themes. Each issue discussed should be contributing constructively towards the research goal and all research objectives should be addressed within the specified time limits, thus effective time management is crucial!
An effective moderator should be able to obtain insights from all participants, restraining the very extrovert, extremely talkative participants and encouraging the more introvert or ‘shy’ participants, giving them an equal opportunity to voice their ideas and share their views.
The moderator should also have relevant personality traits or skills which are required to ensure a well-balanced, highly focused, comprehensive and conclusive discussion: patience, kindness, empathy and politeness are some of the traits required for creating a positive, accepting, pleasant and stimulating atmosphere, allowing for all diverse opinions, perceptions, feelings and experiences to be surfaced unobtrusively and without any worries or reservations.
“If research goals are not clearly communicated to the researcher and the moderator, then the whole research will be out of scope, no matter how well it is planned out or performed!”