What are focus groups?
Focus groups are 'facilitated group discussions' that 'use group dynamics to get shared experiences' (UK Health Security Agency, 2020). They will often involve a small group of people as participants, as well as staff such as a moderator who leads the discussion and sometimes a note taker (Dudovskiy, no date).
Advantages of focus groups:
One of advantage of using focus groups is that you can gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Although, the focus group format is better suited to gathering qualitative data such as complex thoughts, opinions, and solutions from the participants because the participants have made more of a commitment to be there and have more time to think on the topic compared to participants of a questionnaire. This makes focus groups much better than questionnaires if the surveyor is more interested in qualitative data.
Another key advantage which is unique to focus group research is that the participants are often given the opportunity to discuss their thoughts with each other. This could potentially lead to more complex or useful ideas. This aspect makes focus groups a useful tool for a company or organisation looking to get feedback on a specific idea to gauge how the public may respond.
A focus group might be more appealing to participants as they are 'convenient and fun' (Gaille, 2015) alongside the possibility of complimentary refreshments. Therefore the experience is better for the participant when compared to a questionnaire which can be boring and in many cases an interruption in your day (Gaille, 2015) especially when taken in person with random members of the public.
Of course a major consideration when hosting group dicsussions in person about potentially divisive topics is security (Gaille, 2015). This is an extra factor to consider and may also increase the cost of running a focus group if a security guard is deemed necessary.
Disadvantages of focus groups:
The sample size of focus groups is often very small, so when trying to include all demographics in a focus group there is a risk that the even smaller group of people representing a demographic within said focus group is not properly representative of the demographic (Gaille, 2015). This can undermine the accuracy of the data.
Due to the discussion based format of focus group sessions, there is a good chance that an extroverted 'leader' will emerge within the participants, who may disproportionately influence the discussion and the opinions of the others (Gaille, 2015).
Bibliography:
- UK Health Security Agency, 2020. Focus group study: qualitative studies. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: <https://www.gov.uk/guidance/focus-group-study-qualitative-studies> [Accessed 30 March 2022].
- Dudovskiy, J., n.d. Focus Groups - Research-Methodology. [online] Research-Methodology.net. Available at: <https://research-methodology.net/research-methods/qualitative-research/focus-group/> [Accessed 30 March 2022].
- Gaille, B., 2015. 12 Pros and Cons of Focus Groups. [online] BrandonGaille.com. Available at: <https://brandongaille.com/12-pros-and-cons-of-focus-groups/> [Accessed 1 April 2022].
