“…a means to elicit ideas and attitudes about a specific product, service or opportunity in an interactive group environment. The participants share their.

Effective Focus Groups

What’s a Focus Group?

“…a means to elicit ideas and attitudes about a specific product, service or opportunity in an interactive group environment. The participants share their impressions, preferences and needs, guided by a moderator.”

BABOK 2.0, Technique 9.11

It is a technique.

What’s a Focus Group?

provide qualitative data

made up of PEOPLE

who possess certain characteristics

in a focused discussion

to help understand a topic of interest

Kreuger & Casey, “Focus Groups”

What isn’t a Focus Group?

Moderator spends more time speaking than anyone else

More than 12 people in the room

Only scheduled for 30 minutes

Participants are expected to agree

Focus Groups – on a page

Starts with a question.“What are they thinking?”

“How do they feel?”“What ideas do they have?”

Starts with a question.“What are they thinking?”

“How do they feel?”“What ideas do they have?”

Who are “they”?.Homogeneous Group?

Varied backgrounds or experiences?

Who are “they”?.Homogeneous Group?

Varied backgrounds or experiences?

What will you do with the information?Which Business Decision are you trying to inform?

How much fidelity do you need (depth)?

What will you do with the information?Which Business Decision are you trying to inform?

How much fidelity do you need (depth)? Hold the group.

Listen Hold the group.

Listen

Decide.Decide.

When do BAs use Focus Groups?BABOK 2.0

Elicitation Prepare, Conduct, Document tasks

Enterprise Analysis Define Business Need task

Solution Assessment and Validation Assess Organizational Readiness task Evaluate Solution Performance task

When do BAs use Focus Groups?BABOK 3.0 Elicitation and Collaboration

Conduct Elicitation task

Strategy Analysis Analyze Current State task Define Change Strategy task

Requirements Analysis and Design Definition Analyze Potential Value and Recommend Solution task

Solution Evaluation Measure Solution Performance task Recommend Actions to Increase Solution Value task

When is a Focus Group Appropriate?

Ideas

What people are feeling

How strongly people are feeling

What people think

When you want to know….

When a Focus Group isn’t Appropriate?

There is no intention to use the information

Personal, sensitive topics

Emotionally charged issues

Focus Group – Lets get Started

1. Understand Scope, then Plan

2. Execute

3. Analysis and Report

4. Closing

Focus Group – Understand Scope

1. What’s the issue, the question, the decision?

2. Who has the info we need?

3. When do we need the info?

4. Can we do this ourselves?

Focus Group informs the decision-making process, the Focus Group is not the Decision-Making Process

1. Build the Schedule.

2. Identify participants.

3. Build the Interview.

4. Plan the Communications.

5. Agree on format for delivering results

Focus Group – Plan

Focus Group – Plan

3. Build the Interview.

What are the key questions?

Create lead-in and follow-up questions. Lock-in the key interview

questions prior to the first Focus Group.

Focus Group – EXECUTE!

1. Work through the Schedule.

2. Fight scope change, adapt to participant changes.

3. Debrief, maintain consolidated notes.

4. Provide in-process updates.

Focus Group – Analysis & Reporting

1. Compile feedback.

2. Identify key pieces of feedback received.

3. Highlight themes and make recommendations.

4. Deliver final report.

Focus Group – Closing

1. Ensure the Communication Plan is executed.

2. Record final feedback.

3. Reminder about that Communication Plan.

4. Capture and share Lessons Learned.

5. Don’t forget Communication Plan.

What does a Focus Group look like?

One Moderator

One or two Scribes

Comfortable setting

Snacks or a light meal

What does a Focus Group look like?

Lets see one….

What did you see?

Opening statement? Level-setting?

Explanation of purpose and setting Ground Rules?

Participants taking part; agreeing and disagreeing?

Facilitator pulling people into the discussion?

Where can you find out more?

Focus GroupsKreuger and Casey

Professionals in your area…

Columbus, OH Focus Pointe Global Cincinnati, OH L & E Research

Wolf Group Cleveland, OH Focus Groups of Cleveland Detroit, MI Michigan Market Research

C & F Market Research Indianapolis, IN Indy Focus Pittsburgh, PA Campos

FCP Research

Howard Pearce, CBAPProgressive Insurance Corporation

Effective Focus GroupsThank You