The death of the focus group?
Focus groups research get a lot of criticism but is part of the problem the way the discussions are being conducted asks Kreab Research’s Pete Wilson.
“The cost of everything is going up. Like petrol. On the weekend we can’t afford to fill up the V8 anymore so we have to take the V6 out instead.”
So said a recent focus group participant from Western Sydney when asked what issues were concerning her.
In many cases the term ‘focus group’ itself has become a pejorative verb. Indeed ideas, policies and campaigns are said to be ‘focus grouped to death.’
pete Wilson, very clever man! worth listening to. Or writing a comment online!
The skill is in interpreting the results, not just going knee-jerk with the report’s break out quotes. Pete, maybe you guys need to guide the client into how to read the tea leaves with a bit more insight. Agree that the move towards online surveys is well overdue.
Totally agree Tess. No matter what the methodology it’s all about proper interpretation and communication with the client. But as I say, I think the online environment makes clients (and researchers) look a little more closely and think a bit harder beyond the focus group ‘zinger’ quote (whether in the report or during the group)
*** We never found out why it was important to take the V8 out on the weekend. Perhaps her follow up responses would have dispelled the quick judgement of ‘first world problems’.****
And Sloppy Joe Hockey thinks Poor People Don’t Drive.
Given what we know about how quickly people make decisions, and use of emotion in this process rather than rational thought, I think traditional focus group responses would be more likely to be closer to the mark than something respondents have had time to think about and craft into a written response.
Just because online is cheaper doesn’t make it a better choice
Thought provoking, useful AND humourous.
… if the rest of the group had “mild titters of ridicule” then a good moderator would realise that the statement was the opinion of just one person (which of course they are entitled to have) but not held widely within the focus group.
There are focus groups and there are focus groups, I think design not medium is the issue. You can get a lot out of targeted (pop and issue) groups that allow a really nuanced, relevant, natural view of an issue or theme. Then there are forced, badly constructed, wrong pop and artificial ones. Both could be in person or online? I guess that’s what you are saying Pete? I do different types of research to you I guess, but unless you are sure of your group and they are coalescing around an issue, give me one on ones any day. Ps nice article Pete
I think online is definitely the way to go…apart from the cost-saving factor…for people who are truly in a bad place, it can be paralysing admitting that they are struggling to a sea of faces or even one face…even if they desperately need the hundred bucks. I always think that we are super lucky to live in Australia and at the moment I am in a good place but I know others who aren’t and I know they would be the last people to sign up for a face-to-face focus group. I also have a couple of buddies who would never admit struggling as part of their cultural upbringing. If the option of being anonymous and in the privacy of one’s own home is an option for answering personal questions, I think it a great one.
Nice piece, Pete (and some good follow on comments). I think the underlying issue of choosing the right horse for the course at hand applies across the spectrum of tools in the researcher’s toolkit. Made all the more difficult when a client has been romanced by some particular, tool and imbues it with almost magic powers. Nothing else will do!
Absolutely Rob. Always good to have a well stocked toolkit. And of course need to be wary of fancy new tools and not get easily romanced by them too. But in this case I think the online option is a winner. Have you used them much?
Great article Pete! While I still think focus groups are great for the first step in exploring a (really) new topic, online has so much to offer. Previous barriers (access to internet, user-friendly web interfaces that work on smart phones and tablets as well as a computer) are no longer an issue. I’ve been really impressed with the different online platforms that are really only limited by the researcher’s imagination.
Having been involved in qual research in Australia and Canada and I can definitively say the sandwiches are exactly the same. Is there a qual research recipe book out there?
Surely we should be serving pulled pork sliders in focus groups these days Tanya?
Focus groups are completely skewed. I go to a few every now and again and the amount of times I am told to pretend i live in the North, or that I shop at this place or I live with my partner.