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1. How To Guide
Facilitating Insightful Focus Groups
Executive Summary:
This report has been designed to provide practical advice for conducting
insightful focus group sessions.
Read this brief 6-page report to learn:
 What are Focus Groups?
 Focus Group Use Cases
 Focus Group Best Practices
 Being an Effective Facilitator
 Action Plan
Review this report to understand the value of customer insights, and
how to facilitate successful focus group sessions.
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2. 2
Table of Contents Page
What are Focus Groups? 3
Focus Group Use Cases 3
Focus Group Best Practices 4
Being an Effective Facilitator 5
Action Plan 5
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3. 3
What are Focus Groups?
A focus group is a controlled group interview of a target audience
demographic. The interview is often led by a facilitator who covers a set
series of questions or topics. Benefits of focus group sessions include:
increased customer satisfaction & brand perceptions, and informing
product development decisions.
Focus groups are a key component to an effective market research
program. Generating qualitative feedback in this medium can be more
insightful than standardized surveys.
Focus Group Use Cases
There are many reasons why organizations select the focus group
medium to collaborate with their customers and prospects. Typically, it
is to listen to “voice-of-the-customer” and guide strategic planning or
product management decisions.
Following are a few of the key reasons for using focus groups:
 Need to collect data, evaluate services, or test new ideas
 To better understand opinions, beliefs, and attitudes
 To review and test the assumptions of target audiences
 Identify gaps between different stakeholder groups
 To encourage discussion about a particular topic
 To learn more about a specific topic or business issue
 To build rapport with a customer base or new market
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4. 4
Focus Group Best Practices
Following are four best practices for establishing focus groups:
1. Plan, Plan, Plan:
 Create a clear schedule and agenda
 Provide a comfortable setting including refreshments
 Lay concise ground rules for the meeting
 Select the right participants for your objectives
 Record sessions if possible by video camera
2. Actively Manage the Recruiting Process:
 Ensure you have the right people, not just those who are
willing to participate in a focus group exercise
 Don’t prejudge participants on physical appearance
 Membership should be limited to 12 people but should include
no less than 6 participants
 Keep special needs in mind for participants with disabilities or
other requirements for attendance
3. Bring Objectivity and Expertise to the Session
 Select a experienced facilitator to promote discussion
 Facilitator must provide objective conclusions based on the
research conducted, without regard for the client interests.
Often it is best to hire a third-party market research firm to
help increase objectivity.
4. Quick Delivery of Report and Diligent Follow Up
 Make sure conclusions are made in a timely manner and that
participants are aware of the results.
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5. 5
Being an Effective Facilitator
 Keep your Goals in Mind: at all times throughout the session,
ensure you are working toward project goals.
 Conduct a Formal Introduction: introduce each participant of
the group and do an “ice-breaker” early on.
 Record the Session: ensure participants know the session is
being recorded to comply with privacy laws.
 Follow the Script: focus groups can get off-track very quickly;
stick to your agenda and maintain your focus.
 Be Very Clear: make sure questions are worded carefully and
that words are properly enunciated to ensure clear understanding
and accurate responses.
 Paraphrase your Understanding of participant’s answers so they
can be properly understood and documented. Leave no room for
misinterpretation, but be careful not to make implications for
participants.
 Promote Equal Participation: among group members to
ensure you are not conducting a single interview.
 Close the Session Properly: let participants know they will
receive a report, and thank them for their time.
Action Plan
1. Define the Purpose, Goals, & Objectives: it is critical that you
develop a clear purpose statement so you can elicit the best
information and ask the right questions.
2. Establish a Timeline: planning should be done well in advance
and the length of the session should be known by all parties
involved. Develop a very specific agenda.
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6. 6
3. Identify Participants: it is important to determine the number
of participants required to conduct a thorough evaluation. The
homogeneity/heterogeneity of participants should also be
evaluated and names & contact information should be secured
well in advance.
4. Choose the Location: take into account seating and equipment
requirements. Arrange refreshments. The location should
convenient and comfortable for participants to encourage active
participation.
5. Invite Participants: send invitations via email, direct mail, or
phone appointment, and monitor confirmations.
6. Develop Questions: select 4 or 5 questions that relate to the
purpose and that will address your major objectives. Questions
should be open-ended and should move from general to more
specific. Questions should be tested before being used in a live
setting.
7. Generate a Script: this will ensure your focus group stays on
time and remains consistent, especially if you are conducting a
number of sessions in sequence.
8. Select a Facilitator: a good facilitator will keep the group on
track, make sure all participants are heard, and will be able to
deal with outspoken members. Strongly consider a market
research firm or consultant.
9. Conduct the Focus Group: make sure to follow the script and
timeline. It is also important to be well prepared: recording
devices, equipment, pens, paper, clock, name tags, etc., should
be arranged in advance.
10. Summarize Conclusions: document the key findings from the
session, including perceptions of your organization and products,
or other critical feedback.
11. Write a Report: create a formal report including background,
purpose, session details, results, and conclusions. Present to
your Senior Management team.
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