Preparing for the Focus Group Discussion

Preparing for the Focus Group Discussion

When preparing for the focus group discussions there are several considerations including what questions will be asked, who will participate, where will the discussions be held, and who will conduct the sessions? The first order of business is to develop a discussion guide.
Developing the Discussion Guide. The discussion guide contains the questions which will be asked to participants during the discussion sessions. Approximately 10 to 15 questions should be used for the discussion. Avoid spending to much time on background information and concentrate on the important issues that you wish to cover. There are two elements which should be considered when drafting the guide. First, it is necessary to identify who you want to obtain information from and second, what type of information it is that you want to obtain.
For the purpose of this report, it was determined that five discussion groups of frequent transit users, non-users, freshman, and potential transit users (Two sessions of UPARK shuttlebus regular users) would be conducted. It was felt these groups would provide different opinions regarding the UPASS program.
After determining who the information is being obtained from, it is necessary to consider want information will be obtained. With this study, we were interested in finding not only the good points of the program, but also the points that could be improved to make it more successful. In addition, questions pertaining to the quality of the transit system and the marketing of the program were also explored.
When developing the questions, keep in mind that all discussion groups should follow the same discussion guide. A question such as "Who benefits the most from UPASS?", could receive different responses depending on whether the participants are users, or non-users. By using a general format for each question, it allows the analyst to make comparisons between the responses of the various groups.
Reserve a Time and Place. Reserving a time and place to conduct the discussion is something which should be done well in advance to the actual date of the discussion sessions. By finding a location quickly, it will allow time to contact potential participants with the necessary information regarding the time and location of the sessions.
There are several options available when selecting a location to conduct the discussions. For this study, classrooms on-campus were reserved for approximately a three hour time slot. This allowed time to set-up prior to the discussion, conduct the session, and clean-up afterward. In addition, an adjacent classroom across the hall was also reserved where members of MCTS, CUTS, and the UWM Parking and Transit department viewed the discussion sessions via a closed circuit television. Only the moderator and focus group participants should be in the discussion room during the session.
Another option for conducting the focus group is to hold the sessions at a focus group discussion facility. Marketing firms often have special facilities in which they conduct focus group discussions. Keep in mind a focus group discussion facility will add to the cost of the project.
When selecting a location, try to find the most convenient and accessible location as possible. Since this study consisted of students, it was felt that the discussion sessions should be held on-campus to increase the likelihood of students participating.
Provide an Incentive For Participation. Individuals taking part in a discussion session should be compensated for their participation. When contacting potential participants use an incentive to encourage or persuade an individual to take part in a discussion session.
Various forms of compensation can be used with the most common being a cash payment, lunch or dinner. Snacks and beverages may also be provided at the discussion. This often eases the tension created by the focus group setting and makes participants more open to discussing the topic. For this study, participants received $20 apiece for taking part in the discussion.
Determine What Equipment is Needed. The research team must determine how detailed of information they want to obtain from the discussion. This will determine whether to audio tape, videotape, or simply take notes. For this study, the discussion sessions were videotaped and were also viewed via closed circuit television. The videotapes were later reviewed by members of the research team to prepare a written report. The advantage of videotaping is it allows the research team to easily make note of the time important quotes and comments were made during the discussion. This will allow the person reviewing the tape to quickly locate these comments and record the exact information.
If the sessions will be videotaped, it is necessary to reserve the equipment well in advance of the sessions. Equipment which is needed includes:

• A video recorder.
• A microphone which should be placed at the discussion table.
• A videotape per session (Note: One videotape will hold approximately two hours of time).
• A television if the session is going to be viewed by persons other than the moderator during the discussion session. (Note: Only the moderator and the focus group participants should be in the discussion room while the discussion is taking place.)
• Wires to connect the microphone, video recorder, and television. (Note: The wires should be taped or secured to the floor.)

It is our recommendation to videotape the sessions as well as having a closed circuit television to view the discussion. The closed circuit television allows the research team to have the moderator ask follow-up questions or more specific questions regarding the topic. If notes are taken by the research team during the session, this will also facilitate the development of a report for the focus group.