April 7, 2008

Developing a state-of-the-art focus group discussion guide

While the primary reason for a discussion guide is to ensure the integrity of your data by asking the same questions at each session, the best discussion guides also encourage participation and discussion.

Take your discussion guide to the next level with these five tips. Your focus group participants will thank you with open and honest feedback.

1. Determine your objectives. Start by asking yourself, "What do I want to learn by the end of the study?" The more specific your objectives, the easier it will be to ask the right questions.


2. Start slow and easy. Focus on simple, easy-to-answer questions in the beginning. Then add the tougher questions that require more thought or are emotionally charged. This approach will get everyone's head in the game and build trust with the facilitator.


3. Try interactive exercises. Just like any meeting, participants are more likely to fully join in if you change the flow occasionally. Try incorporating a few exercises that encourage discussion and interaction. For example, a classic "card sort" (where participants prioritize a list of topics on cards) is a great way to take a break from standard questions and answers.


4. Include prompts. Prompts (secondary or follow-up questions that follow a main question) are an effective way to ensure that participants address important points. For example, if you want to understand which resources managers use to build their knowledge and specifically if they use the company newsletter, the main question would be: "What resources do you use to help you answer employees' questions?" And the prompt would be: "Do you use the company newsletter?" The facilitator only uses the prompt when participants fail to hit a specific point.


5. Take it for a test run. Assess the clarity and flow of your discussion guide by trying it with a colleague. Ask him/her to read through the guide and tell you what he/she is thinking. If your focus group study is large enough, consider using the first group as a pilot and then editing the guide as necessary. (Don't forget to keep changes in mind when analyzing the data.)