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| RESEARCH SERVICES / Focus Groups |
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What are online focus groups? Like traditional focus groups, online focus groups are qualitative research. Qualitative research allows for in-depth exploration into people's feelings and beliefs. A trained moderator guides the focus group discussion by introducing new topics and questions to encourage maximum participation from each individual. The moderator also controls the group dynamics, preventing one individual from dominating the discussion. Because online focus groups are qualitative in nature, any numbers or percentages should not be projected to the population as a whole. Additionally, the normally small sample size of online focus groups and the fact that the questions asked vary from group to group make the results appropriate for general impressions rather than for statistically reliable results. Unlike traditional focus groups, online groups offer the advantage of bringing a group of participants together regardless of their geographic location. With online focus groups, participants are invited to a web site on a secure server where they meet the moderator and other participants in a virtual lobby. Once the group has moved to the virtual conference room, the focus group starts. Clients meanwhile, are in the virtual back room, where they can converse among themselves while they watch the conversation in the conference room. If need be, clients can also communicate privately with the moderator. During this entire process, a technical support engineer is present. This engineer is available to help participants and clients arrive to the facility and monitors the entire process to ensure that it runs smoothly. Online focus groups are typically conducted with eight participants. Participants receive a cooperation fee in cash to compensate them for their time, as well as to increase their likelihood of attendance. Somewhat like a chat room setting, questions are presented to the group and participants are encourage to respond to the moderator as well as each other. Like traditional focus groups, visuals can be shown to the participants for their feedback. Web site tours, where the moderator guides the participants through a web site and asks for feedback along the way are possible. In addition, Web site usability tests can also be conducted with each individual's movements tracked as they move through the site. One advantage of online focus groups are the transcriptions, which are available immediately upon completion of the online focus group. When the group is completed the moderator holds a debriefing session with the clients to review the significant findings from the group discussion. This session and the transcripts will then be used in the analysis report writing. Other Related Topics: |
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