The Focus Group Approach

Step One

Step Two

Identify the sample frame

Formulate research questions

• Identify number of focus groups
• Identify number participants
• Particpant recruitment

Step Three

Step Four

Identify the moderator

Develop and pre-test a

questioning route

Step Six

Analyze and interpret data

Steps to using focus

groups effectively

In Conclusion

The point is to get rich data providing profound insights into one group's perspective. To build on their perspective it is necessary to compare and contrast theirs with other focus groups.

- "[I]t should not be part of the overall intention to obtain data with a view of making firm generalizations to broader populations" (Dickson, YEAR, p. 105 - 106)

Step Seven

Report Results

The focus group approach is an inexpensive, data-rich, flexible, and stimulating approach to gathering qualitative information in organizational communication.

The focus group methodology is most effective in a mixed-methods scenario.

Step Five

Focus Groups

Conduct the Focus Group

a. Keeping group sessions fun and stimulating keeps people talking and adding relevant information.

b. Getting to know people helps to fuel the conversation, so some banter time before getting down to business can get people a little more relaxed

c. Depending on research protocols, the focus group should preferably be audio- or video-taped to ensure an objective account—with the participants’ written consent

d. And there should be an observer: someone not participating in the groups, but rather taking notes on the conversation and people’s reactions

Discussion Questions

1) Has anyone participated in a focus group study?

2) How do you feel a focus group study would best benefit internal organizational commujnications? External?

Exploratory and Confirmatory Focus Groups

“Unlike traditional interviews and one-on-one prototyping, focus groups generated interactive conversations among the participants”

Tremblay, Hevner & Burndt, 2010, p. 612)

- "Small groups of people (usually 6-10 participants) who are similar on some dimension (e.g. age or social role) who are brought together for the purpose of investigating participant's views on a particular issue" (Zorn et al. 2006, p.116).

- particularly useful as an exploratory method when little is known about the phenomenon but also can be used as a confirmatory method to test hypotheses [Stewart et al., 2007]

EFGs vs CFGs

References

Focus Groups as a Form of Qualitative Research

Ezzy, D. (2001). Are qualitative methods misunderstood?. Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Public Health, 25(4), 294-297.

Hartman, J. (2004). Using Focus Groups to Conduct Business Communication Research. Journal Of Business Communication, 41(4), 402-410. doi:10.1177/0021943604267775

Tremblay, M., Hevner, A. R., & Berndt, D. J. (2010). Focus Groups for Artifact Refinement and Evaluation in Design Research. Communications Of The Association For Information Systems, 26599-618.

"Little focus group research has been reported in the business communication research literature."

Hartman, J., 2004, p. 403.

"The synergistic effect generated by focus groups can be far more revealing than the sum of individual interviews. The interaction that takes place among group members that produces such dynamic synergy and rich information can look chaotic to the untrained eye."

Hartman, J., 2004, p. 403.

The Focus Group Approach