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Please complete the feedback sheet
1
Fearful of focus groups?
Always hearing the same thing?
Applying the data but finding the results unreliable?
Set up for Success with
Focus Groups
Assuming . . .
Focus group
is the
appropriate
method
not
Interaction Data Mining
Together = better
Freedom to speak
Equality
3 BIG THINGS
Clearly-Defined
Focus
Realistic
Expectations
Bias
Mitigation
CLEARLY-DEFINED FOCUS
1.Limit
discovery items
2.Target
relevant participants
3.Prioritize questions
Info Dig
We want to know
how fourth year
students view
Career Services
We want to know
what has grabbed
the attention of
fourth year students
and got them to
come to
Career Services
We want to know
what alternate
names for Career
Services might be
generated by a
representative
sample of fourth
year students,
and why
What about those Questions?
Build trust/
relieve anxiety
Make use of
group dynamics
Capture
critical information
Most generic to
most relevant
Commonality to
difference
Most important to least
important
(Krueger, 2002)
(McQuarrie, 2012)
(Stewart, Shamdasani, & Rook,
2007)
Low threat to
most sensitive
(Wells, 1974)
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
1.Plan
multiple groups
2.Commit
to costs
3.Explore
past behaviors
Item
Not worth doing
if not done right
• Needs/comforts
• Compensation
• Maximize
participation
• Archive artifacts
• Remember reporting
Provider
Compensation for participants
Bookstore
Facilitator
Co-Facilitator/scribe
Tools for co-facilitator/scribe
Cost
Estimate or actual?
Notes
$210.00 Estimate
$10.00 gift certificate for each participant, 3 groups x 7 participants invited =
21 participants invited. Note: may experience uninvited guests; need to
determine in advance how to respond and, if including, how to compensate.
What about no-shows?
In-house
00.00 Estimate
Alternatively, can request XXXXX XXXX, from Institutional Research. Need
to determine if there is a budget transfer.
In-house
00.00 Actual
Paper notebook? Excel spreadsheet accessed via laptop or tablet? Will we
need to purchase something, and/or writing utensils or do we have what we
need? Take extras. Do we need extension cord? Have we checked electrical
outlets at location?
Catering (includes food, drinks, plus
delivery or service costs)
Best practices for focus groups call for refreshments; for this event, pizza,
soda, and salad are suggested. Need to accommodate vegetarians, those
with allergies – survey participants in advance re dietary restrictions? Is there
a need to break food and drink costs separately from delivery/service costs?
Have enough drinks to last through the whole event
Directional signage
Will event signage be necessary to get participants to the location in a timely,
safe manner and for goodwill?
Room rental?
What location maximizes participation for our targeted group? Facilitates
childcare? Provides for catering? Reduces distraction from other events,
construction, traffic problems to get there? Can we get a free room on
campus or do we need to go off? Make sure location is accessible.
Mileage
Childcare
[need to determine
what is required to
cover liability]
75.00 Estimate
If off-campus, and using in-house facilitators, need to budget for mileage
allowance
Group expected to include students who are parents. Childcare will facilitate
participation and full representation of views. Need parents to sign release?
Cost estimate covers ½ hour drop off, 2 hours focus group, ½ hour pickup, for
3 hours total @ $25.00 per hour (estimate)
Printing release form for childcare
Release of liability for childcare; we must retain these forms
Printing informed consent sheet
Participants get to keep this so must be a separate document
Printing permission sheet
Attached to informed consent disclosure sheet; Participants detach and turn
this in prior to participation, during meet & greet; we must retain these signed
forms
Accomodations
Identify in advance any accommodations needed for participants, consult with
Disability Services; any costs?
Nametags
Everyone wears these – first names only; pack 35, one each for facilitator, cofacilitator; 21 for invited participants, extras for mess ups and uninvited guests
if included
Markers
Video? Audio?
To complete nametags
Do we want to include nonverbals in interpretation/analysis? Not body
language, but intonation? If recording add reference to it in script, include in
informed consent. Will co-facilitator manage electronic recording setup or do
we need to budget for tech assistance?
Transcription
University
transcription service.
210.00 Estimated
Storage for artifacts
Reporting results
(some printed)
What else?
Total Costs
Estimate 3 hours for every 1 hour of notes. 2x3=6 hours, at $35.00 per hour
(estimated).
We keep notes, transcripts, release forms, video, audio etc. Required to have
locked cabinet; do we have this already?
22.00
Anticipated needs:
4 color executive summary (approx. 5 pages ea x 20 @ .20 per page= 20.00
Full length report for department, VP: 10 pp bw x 2 @ .10 each = 2.00.
Password protected summary for participants will be made available online
(authentication with student ID)
Request
budget
sheet
sample
Your Brain on Bias
Culture
•
•
•
•
Planning
Sampling
Implementation
Interpretation
Privilege
Race
Education
Ability
What
else?
Language
Power/
Dominance
Socioeconomic
status
MITIGATE BIAS
1.Limit outside
influencers
2.Peer and selfexamination
before, during, after
3.Remain quiet
Practical tools
Potential for
preconceived notions
What are my preconceived notions? Examine preconceived notions about:
a) the focus of the study
b) the participants in the group
Request
personal
inventory
samples
Aesthetics
Ability
Access
Questions to ask about the topic
Personal experience
Age with the topic?
Personal Bias
For example, if the topic is scholarships, were
you a scholarship recipient of not?
Aptitude
•
•
•
•
Personal inventory
Peer review
Expert consult
Lit review
Professional Bias
Political/Social Bias
Bias Mitigation
Critically examine your preconceived notions and
your thoughts/feelings about the topic and your
relationship to the outcome.
Attention
Someone close affected by this topic?
Attitude
Culture
Thoughts and feelings associated with
experience of this topic?
Education
Engagement
Is a child, close friend, or student in whom
you are particularly invested affected by
scholarship awards?
Critically examine your preconceived notions and
your thoughts/feelings about the topic and your
relationship to the outcome.
Do you feel scholarships are good things?
Did you think that you or the student did not
receive enough scholarship? Do you have
lingering frustration or are you grateful? Do
you believe scholarships should be awarded
for some qualifications and not others?
Carefully examine the question list you construct;
have it peer reviewed. Do the questions guide the
answers? If biases are present, reword or rewrite
questions. Practice reciting questions aloud; take
care to regulate intonations so as not to guide for
particular responses. Remain quiet during
facilitation if views emerge that are not consistent
with your beliefs, thoughts, feelings. Critically
examine your interpretations of results to make
sure meaning-making has not been skewed by
your pre-existing bias.
You may have reactions to what you hear in
the focus group. If you hear input not
consistent with your mindset, you may feel
the urge to object, defend, clarify, or
otherwise comment.
For example, if you are a grateful scholarship
recipient facilitating a focus group of students who
did not receive scholarships, anticipate that you
may hear negative comments about scholarships
and scholarship recipients. Plan for this and
mentally rehearse staying quiet - simply receive
both positive and negative feedback. If participants
don’t understand something, rehearse asking them
to articulate, but refrain from explaining, teaching,
or defending. Let the participants teach you. Be
open to learning.
Ethnicity
Entitlement
How might thoughts and feelings
Gender in the focus
compel your performance
group?
Language
Motivation
Nationality
Position
Does a particular
outcome either
Will people you know benefit from
(power/dominance)
positively or negatively affect your
recommendations made in a particular
Prospects
situation?
direction? Will it make your daily tasks easier
if the recommendations come out a particular
way? Are you in charge of the scholarship
Race
program and so the outcome might serve as
evidence of your performance?
Sexual Identity
What else?
Socio-Economic Status
What else?
Engage a facilitator for whom the outcome has no
consequence or influence.
3 BIG THINGS
Clearly-Defined
Focus
Realistic
Expectations
Bias
Mitigation
Let’s do it!
Apply the 3 Big Things
• Clearly-Defined Focus
• Realistic Expectations
• Bias Mitigation
Please complete the feedback sheet
2
More to Explore about Focus Groups
OSU Center for the Study of Student Life Training Webinars
Overview, Step-by-Step Guides, Data Analysis:
http://cssl.osu.edu/training-webinars/
Including:
Part 1: What to Expect from a Focus Group
Part 2: Mitigating Personal Bias in Focus Group Facilitation
Part 3: Managing the Focus Group
References
Krueger, R. (2002). Designing and conducting focus group interviews.
Retrieved from http://www.eiu.edu/~ihec/KruegerFocusGroupInterviews.pdf
Wells, W. (1974). Group Interviewing. In J. Higginbotham. & K. Cox (Eds.),
Focus Group Interviews: A Reader (2-12). Chicago, Ill.: American
Marketing Association.
McQuarrie, E. (2012). The market research toolbox: a concise guide for
beginners (3rd edition). Los Angeles, Calif.: SAGE.
Stewart, D., Shamdasani, P., and Rook, D. (2007). Focus groups : theory
and practice (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks : SAGE Publications.
Thank you!
Debra Wilburn
[email protected]
937.775.2556